Sun and Moon
by bunniesnfish
Summary: Sequel to Fire and Ice. Katara and Zuko struggle with their feelings for one another in a world ravaged by war. Is there a chance for peace, or will the war rage on, destroying Katara and Zuko from the inside out?
1. Storm

**Author's note: **Hi everyone! Welcome to Part II of my series! Thanks to overwhelming demand, I have decided to post the prologue today.

Big thanks and love to my reviewers: **AnnaAza****, ****Tigerlilysmile****, ****secretsofadarkangel****, ****hg-always****, ****Animus of Masada****, ****sokkantylee****, ****Moonlit- Silhouette****, ****Katey123****, ****Zorroami****, ****ArrayePL****, ****InItToWinIT****, ****BlackMagicWhiteMagic****, ****beastlySmalless****, ****gretlcascade****, ****Dreaming 11****, ****a5h13y 101****, ****SemperFi123****, ****Demyx-Axel-2362****, ****lostatseanomore****, ****elemental573****, ****Asabella****, ****storm2011**, and **dnino**. You guys all helped me reach over 100 reviews on _Fire and Ice_!!

And now I present to you…_Sun and Moon_. I truly hope you all enjoy it as much as you enjoyed _Fire and Ice. _I certainly did my best! I know I had fun writing it.

* * *

**Prologue: Storm

* * *

**

_Doubt thou that the stars are fire;_

_Doubt thou that the sun doth move;_

_Doubt truth to be a liar;_

_But never doubt that I love._

--William Shakespeare, _Hamlet

* * *

_

Night had fallen over the Fire Nation, and the darkness was enhanced by a thunderstorm that had rolled in over the capital city. Most of the palace was silent; only a few servants moved through the dark hallways.

In the Fire Lord's grand chambers, a fire burned low in the hearth; the occasional crack of a log broke the silence. The cool breeze, rich with the promise of rain, tugged at the crimson velvet curtains. The only other movement in the room came from the lone figure in the large bed that occupied the middle of the room.

The man tossed and turned under the silken sheets, and a sudden crack of thunder woke him up with a start. Fire Lord Zuko groaned as he sat up in bed.

He listened to the more frequent rolls of thunder for a moment, and heard the roar of rainfall on the palace roof grow deafening. He swung his legs over the side of the bed, and shuffled over to the wide window. He cast the heavy curtain aside and looked out at the storm.

The rain fell in sheets, and the violent wind raised whitecaps on the small pond just outside his window. His pupils contracted with each blinding flash of electricity the storm created.

Zuko looked up at the dark sky. The purple-hued storm clouds hid the moon from his view.

He hated when the clouds hid the moon.

The moon was the only way he could feel close to _her._

When he was completely alone at night, he would look up and quietly whisper to the moon.

He loved her.

And he hated her for it.

He hated her for bringing out this pathetic weakness in himself. He hated her for being on the opposite side of the war. He hated her making him realize that he would try to kill her if they met in battle – and he knew they would meet in battle. He hated her for making him feel guilty for it.

Even now, he had a team tracking her ship as it made its way to the North Pole. The remnants of the Northern Water Tribe needed to be eradicated – and she was a member of the Water Tribe. It had been two weeks since the Water Tribe warriors had invaded his city. Two weeks since he had kissed her goodbye. Two weeks since he had promised her he would not let her stand in his way.

The team of Yu Yen archers had been doing its job well. They were expert trackers as well as an elite team of archers. They had taken one of the Fire Nation's few wind-powered vessels, so they could follow at close range undetected.

He had received his first missive from the trackers via messenger hawk one week ago. They had reported that they were successfully tracking the Water Tribe ship, and that they were still undetected.

Zuko had threatened their deaths if they failed in this mission.

In the final sentence, they had reported that they were about halfway to their destination, and would arrive in approximately two weeks, at which point they would send the next missive.

Once Zuko discovered the location of the Water Tribe remnant, he himself would lead the northern assault. He hoped to rid himself forever of the waterbending master who had taught Katara and the other waterbenders.

For all of her efforts, Katara would be the person who, in the end, had led him to the location of the master. He tried to shove down the unwanted feeling of guilt that was rising in him more frequently.

He tried to ignore the memory of her voice. The sound of her rare laughter permeated his mind. He tried to forget the feel of her soft fingers trailing across his skin. He tried to forget the look in her eyes as he had shared the painful stories of his past.

It was easy to remind himself of the pain he had caused her, so he focused on these memories. It helped him realize he was no good for her – that she never could have stayed. That she never _would_ have stayed.

He thought of the times he had denied her food. He remembered her humiliating parade through the city. He recalled the smell of her friend's burning flesh – and the smell of _her_ burning flesh. He pictured her lifeless body on the bare stone floor of her cell.

In the past two weeks, he had been trying to ignore the dreams that plagued him as well. He was certain the dark circles under his eyes were not going unnoticed by his advisers and palace staff.

He tossed and turned each night, his sleep ruined by images of her beautiful face. In his dreams, her hands gently cupped his face; her fingers caressed the rough skin of his scar. She would whisper to him softly, but he could never quite make out what she said. She reached for him, pleading, even as he filled his hands with flame.

And in the end, every time, he burned her.

He could not erase the image from his mind. Worst of all, he knew it was an image that would come to pass, unless she killed him first. Of course, he did not intend to let her win. The Fire Nation would triumph, and this cursed war would be over. After he dealt with the remnants of the Water Tribe, he would deal with his sister in the Earth Kingdom.

They were at war. In some of their last moments together, he had promised her he would kill her if they met on a field of battle. And then he had kissed her.

He flinched back from the window as a bolt of lightning ripped through the night sky and struck a cherry tree in the garden. He blinked, and realized it was the same tree he had leaned against as he had watched her waterbend in the pond under the night sky not so long ago.

He stood as the wind drove the rain through the window, soaking his robes. He watched the storm until a gray dawn began to peak through the clouds. In the pre-dawn light, he could see the blackened crown of the cherry tree, its bare branches reaching up toward the sky.

* * *

In vast ocean, a small fleet of wooden Water Tribe ships forced their way through the churning whitecaps. The weather had turned as they had approached the north, and Katara had just completed an exhausting twelve hour watch on deck.

She was grateful for the distraction of trying to keep the vessel afloat in the rough seas. It kept her mind off the recent turn her life had taken.

Now, she sat in her small cabin below deck, her body swaying as the ship rolled. As most waterbenders were, she was immune to seasickness. She had seen others afflicted with the ailment, and she was glad she had never been subjected to it.

It didn't help with her sickness at heart. She stared out of the small porthole, the image distorted somewhat by the paper-thin animal skin that covered the hole. She looked out at the gray skies, and decided she missed the sun. When she looked at the sun, she could once again see his golden eyes.

The storm had been raging around them for nearly three days now. Three days in which she hadn't seen the sun. The constant presence of the sun in the sky had made her feel closer to _him._ Now, as the ship climbed steadily north, and the clouds blocked the golden rays of the sun, she felt so far away.

She hated how he made her feel. She should hate him. He had killed her people, he had attacked her, tortured her – he had very nearly been the cause of her death. And yet, she thought of the times when he had been so gentle with her.

She thought of her last week with him, when he had opened up to her. She closed her eyes and could almost feel his lips on hers.

She wondered what would have happened had she been granted more time with him. In the short period she had been with him, she had watched the fierce Fire Lord begin to show compassion and love.

Was it possible that with a little more time, he would have seen the wrongness of the war and ended it?

Katara shook her head. The ship rolled again, and she tried to clear her thoughts. Perhaps she was deluding herself. Perhaps she was giving herself _and_ Zuko too much credit.

She felt disgusted with herself as she recalled how her body had responded to his kisses. What would her people think if they knew that she had allowed him to kiss her-had _wanted_ him to kiss her?

She would no longer be a hero. She would be loathed as an outcast. She felt as if she betrayed her people every time she longed for him.

A tear escaped the corner of her eye as she realized she loved the man who had destroyed her people. She loved the man who had very nearly destroyed _her._ She unconsciously raised her hand to her neck. She felt the newly-healed skin under her fingers.

In the end, however, she knew that he loved her in return. Sadly, that love would not be enough to overcome their status as enemies.

_Katara, you must know that if I let you go today – we will be enemies. I will hunt you. If we meet on a field of battle… I will hold nothing back._

And she knew that if it came to defending her home and her people, she would hold nothing back as well. She prayed to Tui and La that it would never come to pass, but deep down, she knew he would come.

He would find her home and destroy it as he had destroyed the rest of the world. And that truth was the hardest to come to terms with. Despite everything, he was still the Fire Lord – the most feared man in the world.

He desired to conquer the world, and she was an obstacle in his way. Katara let out a shuddering sigh. His love for her would not be strong enough to stop him, she was certain of it.

In that case, she only hoped that she would be killed in battle. She did not want to live in a world where the Fire Nation had conquered her people as thoroughly as the Air Nomads had been conquered.

In a strange way, she felt a small satisfaction that her death would be a punishment for him. He could have her or the world. Not both.

She lay down on the furs and tried to sleep, but nightmares would not leave her be. She dreamt of trying to reach him, to love him, only to be burned in the end. She gave up on sleep completely when she woke up after dreaming she had driven an ice dagger through his heart.

She had watched as his eyes widened in realization that she had killed him, water mixing with his crimson blood as the dagger slowly melted in the warmth of his chest, the damage already done.

She sat on the bed with her chest heaving and beads of sweat trickling down her forehead.

She began to panic as she wondered if she would be able to actually kill him if it came down to it. If she couldn't handle it even in her dreams, how could she do it in reality? She calmed herself by thinking of the faces of her people. She would do it for _them._

Of course, she had already faltered at one chance to kill him.

She got up off the bed, rocking with the movement of the ship. After pulling on her boots, she climbed up the stairs to the deck.

As soon as she stepped outside, the wind whipped her mahogany hair around her head, and she relished the feel of the cold salt spray on her face.

The chilly rain poured down around her, still blotting out the sun.

* * *

**One more author's note: I just wanted to let you all know that I will be moving the last weekend in March. I will try my best to get the update up earlier in the week, but that may not happen. My life is going to be insanely busy the next couple of weeks. So bear with me – I'll get it up when I can! Unless Comcast is stupid (which is entirely possible), the latest it will be up will be April 2.**


	2. Temper

**Author's note: **Hi all! Thanks for your patience! I'm in my new place, but still working on unpacking. I'm getting there!

Sorry I didn't have time to reply to reviews…I'll just say one big THANK YOU right here. You guys are the best!

I hope you all enjoy this new chapter – it was quite a feat for me to post it today!

* * *

**Chapter 1: Temper

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**

_I will read ashes for you, if you ask me._

_I will look in the fire and tell you from the gray lashes_

_And out of the red and black tongues_

_And stripes,_

_I will tell how fire comes_

_And how fire runs as far as the sea._

--Carl Sandburg "Fire Pages"

* * *

Fire Lord Zuko stalked the halls of the palace, his features etched into a scowl. Word had passed around the palace that their monarch was in a foul mood once more today, and servants scurried out of the way as they heard his approach.

Several rumors had been flying around the palace that day. There was much speculation as to why the Fire Lord was in such a rotten temper. Some whispered that his sister had once again bested his forces in the Earth Kingdom; others proposed that he had been jilted by a lover – who by now must surely be a pile of ashes.

There were rumors that the Fire Lord had threatened to incinerate anyone who looked at him wrong (which were true), and rumors that he _had_ already incinerated a servant who had tripped in front of him (which were false).

No one, however, could guess the true reason for Zuko's fiery temper that day. Besides himself, the only ones who might venture a correct guess were following a small fleet of Water Tribe ships in the northern climes of the ocean.

Zuko watched in disgust as everyone, nobles and servants alike, quickly moved out of his way as soon as they heard the definitive stomp of his boots on the polished marble floors.

He was headed to the training arena to let off some of his frustration before he really _did_ burn someone who looked at him the wrong way.

Two days. It had been _two days_ since the next missive had been due to arrive. The messenger hawk had yet to arrive. If his team of trackers had lost the Water Tribe fleet, he would hunt them down and kill them himself.

He thought he had made it abundantly clear that failure was _not_ an option.

The only explanation he could think of for the lack of a message was that the fools had lost their quarry and had made a run for their lives.

He could feel the heat of the sun beating down on him as he reached the arena. The space was, understandably, empty. He soaked in the energy of the sun, relishing the feel of the fire that Agni sent through his veins.

He stripped off his tunic and stepped into the arena.

Sweat beaded on his face as he moved through his forms, the droplets glinting in the sunlight. He concentrated on controlling the temperature of his flames. The inferno emerging from his palms and feet shifted from orange to blue to nearly white.

After several minutes, he stopped to rest, his well-muscled chest heaving in the aftermath of his display.

He sighed as he realized he still carried all of his pent-up frustration.

Focusing, he took a deep breath and closed his eyes. He felt the familiar electricity course through him as he swirled his hands in a circular motion. Finally, he released it to the sky. A brilliant bolt of lightning shot out from the tips of his fingers, and the thunder echoed around him.

The feeling was always satisfying. It always served to remind him that he was immensely powerful, and people were fools to stand against him.

He strode back out of the arena, the gravel crunching under his boots. He spied a servant heading toward him with a flask of water.

"Water, my lord?" the servant asked, his hands shaking in obvious fear. He had, after all, just witnessed precisely what his monarch was capable of.

Zuko looked at the water skin in distaste. His mind rebelled against requiring that particular element. "No, I don't need any water," he replied, although he was talking to himself more than to his servant.

He stalked off, ready to confront his political duties once more.

* * *

Katara stood at the stern of the ship, resting her slim arms on the wooden railing. The violent storm had finally let up. A light wind buffeted her small form, and misty drizzle fell from the sky. She breathed in the salty air; her lungs filled with the cool air. The temperature was dropping. Soon the precipitation would turn to snow.

She looked out over the horizon toward the Fire Nation. Her mind and body were exhausted – her endless thoughts had exhausted her mind as badly as the storm had exhausted her body.

She had felt Bato's concerned gaze on her nearly constantly over the past two and a half weeks. She had managed to avoid his questions, mostly thanks to the distraction the storm had caused, and they were soon due to arrive at what was left of the Northern Water Tribe.

Katara knew she should have been touched by his concern, as he had been a father to her nearly as much as her own father had been. However, she found herself becoming annoyed by it. She knew he saw the physical evidence of the effects of her captivity. The skin on her neck was still healing. She had marks around her wrists and ankles where the chains had chaffed her. Her bones jutted out unnaturally under her skin. She had required a new piece of leather for her mother's necklace. He hadn't asked, but she could tell from his gaze that he _knew _she had been mistreated.

In her heart, she knew she was annoyed because it would eventually bring out the truth she wanted to hide forever. She loved the Water Tribe's worst enemy. She hated herself for it, and she knew everyone else would hate her for it.

Katara cringed as she heard Bato approach behind her and take a place next to her. She could feel the slight warmth from him; the leather of his boots creaked as he shifted his weight. It was cold enough now that their breaths escaped their noses in puffs of white vapor. He stood next to her quietly for a few minutes; both of them stared out at the waves on the horizon.

Finally, he spoke.

"Katara, you keep staring over the horizon back at the Fire Nation. Shouldn't you be at the bow, looking toward home?" he asked sadly.

The sharp wind continued to whip her hair wildly around her head. She couldn't even begin to formulate an answer. She merely shook her head and stared numbly at the horizon.

She felt him shift his weight as he tried to come up with appropriate words.

"Can you really not let go of the pain?" he asked, gently taking her shoulder and turning her toward him.

Guilt over her feelings gnawed at her mind. Bato thought that she looked toward the Fire Nation because she couldn't forget the pain. In a sense, it was true. The memories brought pain. But they also brought love…and longing.

"Katara, what did he do to you? Even in the worst of circumstances, your eyes have always remained bright with hope! Now, all I see is despair," he said forlornly. His eyes suddenly narrowed as a thought occurred to him.

"He didn't…touch you, did he? By the spirits, please tell me he didn't-" his ice-blue eyes drilled into her as he searched for an answer. "Tui and La, if he did, I'll kill him with my bare hands," he swore.

Katara gathered enough courage to look up at the man she considered to be an adoptive father. She tried not to cringe. Zuko had not taken her as a man takes a woman, but they had kissed and touched…and she had wanted him to.

She swallowed and answered. "No Bato, he did not violate me."

The man's shoulder's sagged in relief, and the lines in his weathered face relaxed a bit.

"I am relieved, but surprised. The man has no honor," he snarled.

Katara felt her shoulders tense at his words. Zuko was honorable in his own way – and she knew he would never forcibly take a woman. She bit her tongue against defending him.

"I swear to you, Katara, we will conquer him and we will kill him. We will show him no respect in death – we will leave his miserable carcass out for the carrion birds to pick at. He doesn't deserve to-" he stopped his fervent declaration as Katara interrupted him.

"No! No. I will hear of no such thing. Despite everything he's done, he is still a human being. You can't-" she abruptly broke off as she realized what she had given away. She had essentially admitted she did not hate Zuko. Before her capture, she had talked about the Fire Lord with as much hatred as the rest of the world did. She had hated him, and would have agreed wholeheartedly with Bato. And Bato knew it.

Bato's eyes widened at her words.

"Y-you defend him? After everything he's done? After he has eradicated your home? Killed your family? Tui and La, Katara! He tortured you! I've seen the marks the chains left behind! Do you think I'm blind? Do you think I've not seen the healing burn around your neck?" he said, his voice increasing in volume with every accusation.

"I know, Bato! Spirits, I know!" she cried, turning away from him once more. "I was there! I was there when he captured all of us! I was there when he killed Akiak! Yes, I was chained, but I was a prisoner! Yes, he burned my neck, but I must admit I was about to poison him!" she yelled, fists balled at her sides. Bato's head snapped up at her last statement. She felt the curious gazes of the men on deck.

She continued in a whisper.

"I was also there when he showed me kindness. I was there when he-" she broke off, shaking her head. She had been about to finish with the words _kissed me_.

Her face burned in horror at what she had nearly revealed. She had done enough damage already. She had justified the Fire Lord's actions.

Bato just stared at her, something akin to disappointment and loathing in his eyes. He took a step back, putting physical as well as emotional distance between them.

His eyes narrowed in anger, and he roughly grasped her upper arm. She felt each one of his fingers digging into her flesh.

"Did you lie to me when we left the city? You knew we would have killed him if it had been possible. Did you lie?" he growled at her.

"What?" she asked, confusion coloring her expression.

"When I asked you if we could take the city, you said it wasn't possible," he explained, his voice escalating in volume. Katara blinked at him. Her response died on her lips when she saw the furious expression on his face. She had never seen him so livid. His blue eyes bulged out; his skin was flushed and mottled from the fury he was only barely holding in. She felt herself shrinking back from him.

"_Did you lie to me?_" he yelled so furiously she felt spittle hit her face. He released his grip on her arm, and she stumbled backwards.

Every head on the deck turned to look at the spectacle that was now unfolding at the stern of the ship. Katara felt her own face begin to burn with a mixture of embarrassment and anger.

"Of course not!!" she screamed at him, her stance as stubborn and unyielding as an earthbender's. Suddenly mindful of the curious eyes on deck, she lowered her voice. "Do you _really_ think that I would so quickly betray my tribe? My _people?_"

Katara felt her stomach plummet to the ocean floor when he merely stared at her with a skeptical expression of barely contained rage.

_He doesn't believe me. He thinks I lied to protect Zuko._ Her mind reeled in panic. Never in a thousand years would she have imagined Bato to believe the worst of her. He had been her surrogate father; she choked back tears as his face cooled into a stony mask.

"Just answer me this," he said wearily. "When you parted, he instructed you to remember what he told you." He met her eyes. "What did he tell you?"

Katara shook her head, unwilling to answer.

Bato lowered his head in sadness. "Katara, how can I trust you? How do I know you will not send him some message as to our location? How do I know you will not betray us?"

Katara looked at him in horror. "I thought you knew me better than that. I would never betray my people," she hissed through gritted teeth.

Bato looked away as he answered. "You already have."

Tears seeped out of Katara's eyes. It was exactly as she had feared. Her secret was out, and the one man who should trust her more than anyone already thought she had betrayed them all.

Furious tears continued to pour down her face as Bato turned to her once more.

"Do I need to confine you to your cabin?" he asked pointedly.

She had no choice but to tell him.

"Fine. This is something that should have remained private, but I will tell you. It was a warning," she stated.

"A warning?" he asked with alarm evident in his voice.

"He warned me that if we met in battle, that he would kill me," she said softly. There. The terrible words were out.

Bato looked at her, confusion in his gaze. "And why would he even give you a warning?"

"I think he hopes that I will avoid battles with the Fire Nation. I do not doubt his warning. He warned me because I do not believe he wishes to kill me," she said, defeat coloring her voice.

"You are his enemy. Why would he not wish to kill you?" Bato asked.

Katara answered in a whisper so faint that Bato was not sure if he heard the words.

"Because he loves me."

Bato looked up at her sharply.

"And do you love him in return?" he asked accusingly. His voice was hesitant, as if he did not want to hear the answer.

The young waterbender turned away from him, unable to answer. In her heart, she knew the truth, and it was a truth she could not admit to him, although her silence was confirmation enough. She stared out over the water, her eyes reminiscent of hard blue stone. She ignored him as he ordered her to her cabin. It was only when he threatened to drag her there himself that she complied. She walked past him, her face blank of all expression, and wordlessly left the deck.

* * *

Several days later, Katara sat alone in her cabin. Despite telling him about Zuko's warning, Bato had confined her to the small room for the remainder of the trip.

She was a prisoner once more. Worse still, Bato had not spoken to her since that fateful day when she had revealed at least part of her secret. It killed her inside to realize he could not even look at her.

She took a breath of the stale cabin air. She longed to be outside and breathe in the cool ocean air. The sun was shining once more, and she craved its presence.

The only other people she had seen in the past days were the Water Tribesmen who came to bring her food. The first time one of them had entered, her stomach had fallen to her feet. He would surely hate her, for she was certain Bato would have had to explain why she was remaining in her cabin.

She had blinked in amazement when she realized that Bato had given a false reason for her confinement.

"Are you feeling any better, my lady?" the man had asked with concern in his voice.

Her mouth worked as she grasped for words. "Better?" she had finally choked out.

The man had raised a dark eyebrow at her. "Yes, Bato said that you were very weak from your ordeal, and your injuries were still healing. He said you nearly collapsed on deck, and explained that while you were recovering, you would be confined to your cabin," he said. He offered her a smile. "He said you hadn't taken too kindly to being cooped up, but that's what was best for you."

Her mind barely had time to gather its wits before he was done with the explanation.

"Oh. Yes. I haven't been…well…since my rescue. I don't like it, but I suppose Bato knows best," she had forced out, trying not to grit her teeth.

And so she sat alone in her room, awaiting her next meal. She heard movement at the door, and expected one of the warriors to enter bearing a tray of food.

To her dismay, it was Bato that entered. She stiffened as he walked over and sat on the furs next to her. For a moment, he ran his hands over the soft furs as he tried to come up with words to say to her.

Katara broke the silence.

"So, you didn't tell the other warriors about…me," she began.

Something seemed to break in him as he began to speak.

"Katara, I couldn't. If they knew-" he faltered a moment "-they would likely kill you."

Her head dipped toward the floor, her dark hair covering her face.

"I know," she whispered. "I feel as if I've betrayed them."

She felt him move in front of her, and looked up at him through the curtain of her hair. He took her small hands into his own callused hands.

"Katara, I love you as my own daughter, and do not wish to see you hurt. But La! I cannot imagine what would make you care for such a man!" he said, his voice breaking.

He continued speaking, desperation in his voice. "They say…they say that sometimes prisoners fall in love with their captors – that the mind accepts small acts of kindness as love and-" he stopped as Katara vehemently cut him off.

"No! It's not like that. Bato, I have always been a strong woman, do you not agree?" she asked.

He nodded his head.

"I wouldn't be so weak as to fall into that mindset. Don't think that of me," she said bitterly.

She was desperate to make him understand that she hadn't betrayed their people.

"Bato, you must know one thing," she said, urgency in her voice.

He looked into her eyes, searching for the truth. "What is it?"

"I would _never_ betray my people," she said with certainty. "And I will not shy away from a battle to protect them. After…after he told me he would hold nothing back in battle, I told him I would do the same," she admitted. She couldn't quite keep the waver out of her voice.

"He said he would hunt me down, and I know he spoke the truth. We must be ready," she said sadly.

Katara couldn't stand the look he gave her. It was a look of pity. She shied away from his gaze.

"We will be home by early morning. We will begin making preparations right away," he said. He turned and left the room, leaving Katara to her haunted thoughts.

* * *

In the Fire Palace, a messenger ran with all haste to deliver the message to the Fire Lord. By now, the entire palace knew he was waiting for an important missive, and its occupants breathed a collective sigh of relief when the messenger hawk arrived.

Zuko practically tore the scroll from the messenger's hands when he arrived. He ripped off the crimson ribbon and broke the golden seal that signified the message was for his eyes only.

_A thousand apologies for the tardiness of this message. A fierce storm overtook both our ship and the Water Tribe fleet. I am happy to report that all ships survived intact, and we are still on the tail of the enemy ships. We are quickly approaching the Northern Water Tribe's lands. Even now, I can see the ice formations in the distance. _

_Upon arriving on land, we will ascertain the location of the Water Tribe remnant and report to you immediately once we have found it._

He quickly burned the parchment to ashes. So, they hadn't lost the Water Tribe ships. Katara was still in their sight.

Katara.

He had tried not to think her name. He had tried to ignore his feelings for the accursed waterbender. And yet he could not. He found himself wondering what she was doing at that moment. He wondered if she had arrived safely on that chunk of ice she called home. He wondered…if she missed him.

The dreams – the nightmares – still plagued him. They were coming with more frequency now. Several times a night he would wake up in a cold sweat, his own cry awakening him. Each time he awoke, he was haunted with the image of her beautiful face burning. The blue fire would crackle around her, blending with the ice, consuming her. She would cry out his name, he would turn his back to her, and the world would bow before him.

_Is it worth it?_

As much as he wanted his tracking team to determine her location, a small part of him wished she would disappear forever, so she would remain safe from him. The rest of him knew that he would conquer the Water Tribe, and nothing, not even her, would stop him.

An irrational whisper spoke seductively to him. It whispered that she would see that she could only be happy with him; she would defect from her nation and run to him. A tendril of hope would wrap around his heart, then would disappear as smoke when he realized she would never betray her people.

Perhaps she could once more be taken prisoner. She would be under his protection; she would be his. Then he would shake his head to rid himself of the thought. She could never remain a prisoner. She was meant to be free. She was a bird that was meant to fly – not be kept in a cage.

As much as he loathed the thought, the confrontation was coming. She would be there, defending her home, and he would be there, trying to take it from her. The war could not end until the Water Tribe was under his control. As long as she lived, there would be a master waterbender to teach future generations. One master had eluded him long enough; he could not allow two to exist. He would find them both and end the waterbenders once and for all.

He only hoped that he would be the one to find her and defeat her. He would make certain that her death would be quick. He closed his eyes against the thought of her suffering. He could not rid himself of his dream images of the waterbender burning.

As soon as the next message arrived detailing the location of the Water Tribe remnant, he would gather his military for a final and decisive blow on the Water Tribe. He would then concentrate all efforts on finding and defeating his sister, and then the world would be his.

And he would never think of the captivating waterbender again. He only hoped that if he lied to himself long enough, eventually he would believe it.

* * *

Katara felt the change in the motion of the ship as they prepared for their arrival. The temperature had dropped considerably, and Katara's muscles gave a small shiver. She had grown accustomed to the warm, humid air of the Fire Nation over the past months.

Bato had released her from her cabin, although she still felt as if he did not trust her completely. She feared he never would again. His eyes were constantly on her. It almost seemed as if he were waiting for her to make a move against them.

She let out a shuddering sigh. If Bato was waiting for her to betray her people to Zuko, he would be waiting forever. It was just past dawn, so she pulled on her boots and parka and climbed up on deck.

She couldn't suppress her smile as her gaze landed on the ice floes surrounding the wooden ship. The ice had always been beautiful to her. The delicate colors changed depending on the angle of the light and the time of year. Today, at dawn, the ice was an iridescent blue with delicate pinks and purples mixed in. The frigid air burned in her lungs; to her, this was a comfort. It felt like home.

Her eyes drifted away from the icebergs to land on the mainland. Her brows furrowed in confusion, since she didn't recognize the area the ships had set a course for. The icy land was always changing, but she knew this was a completely different area from the small village of tents and igloos the remnant had cobbled together.

A hint of recognition shot through her. If she looked closely enough, she could almost make out the ruined gates of the former capital of the Northern Water Tribe. She blinked, attempting to sort out what she was seeing.

Bato walked over to her, and she looked at him in confusion.

"Is that – the capital?" she asked.

"Yes. The remaining waterbenders have been working for months on making the city livable," he explained.

"But – it still looks abandoned," she stated.

A small smile came to Bato's lips. "Precisely. The waterbenders have carved out a series of catacombs and living quarters under the ruins. On the surface, the city still looks abandoned. It's the perfect hiding place," he explained.

A short time later, the ships had docked, and the weary warriors had disembarked. Katara was eager to see the work that the other waterbenders had accomplished in her absence. She entered the newly-formed city through a fissure in the ice.

Outside, the ruins of the once-great city appeared to remain abandoned. The Water Tribe remnant had taken great pains to minimize evidence of human habitation. Walkways were regularly cleared of footprints. A complex venting system had been carved in the ice to whisk away smoke from fires that burned. Refuse was burned or thrown into the sea.

She entered a vast chamber in the ice cave system, and realized that it was something of a town square. A natural skylight lit the large room. A group of people were gathered, and her eyes landed on a familiar face.

"Pakku!" she cried while running at full speed toward him. Master and student engulfed one another in an embrace.

"Katara. I thought you were lost to us forever," he said, attempting to keep a hint of sternness in his voice. He failed miserably.

A genuine smile graced her lips for the first time since being released from captivity.

"No, Pakku, I'm here. I'm home," she said as much to reassure herself as him.

"Come, child. Let us find you a room so you can settle in," he said, leading her off toward the residential area.

She trailed after him, and hoped to find her place among her people once more.

* * *

Admiral Shou and his team stealthily scaled the ice behind the Water Tribe people. Their job was made much less difficult since the returning warriors provided a distraction for the guards. Joyful reunions lessened the strict attention of the lookouts. Soon, the small Water Tribe group disappeared into various fissures in the ice.

_Genius. They have hidden in plain sight. They are hiding in the ruins of a city we have already conquered._

He shuddered to think of the Fire Lord's fury upon learning that the Water Tribe remnant had apparently been here all along.

The men carefully descended their icy perch, and returned to their well-hidden ship. The floating icebergs were treacherous, but provided excellent cover.

As soon as he returned to his quarters, he penned his update to the Fire Lord and sent the messenger hawk on its way.


	3. Battle

**Author's note: **Yay Friday! Man, it's been a long week.

Sorry I didn't have time to get around to individual replies to reviewers again. I'm still unpacking, but I'm just about done, so hopefully things will return to normal soon!

So, just wanted to give a shout out to all my reviewers so far:

**AnnaAza****, ****lostatseanomore****, ****hg-always****, ****secretsofadarkangel****, ****Aimaphobia****, ****ArrayePL****, ****Pirate Ninjas of the Abyss****, ****BlackMagicWhiteMagic****, ****InItToWinIT**** , ****Demyx-Axel-2362**** , ****Katey123**** , ****Dreaming 11****, ****Jumpingbeans480****, ****angelkenzie022****, ****Katey123**** , ****alexxxpac3****, ****Asabella****, **and **dnino****. **

Thank you SO MUCH for your reviews! I treasure each and every one of them!

Here's the next chapter – hope you guys enjoy it!!

* * *

**Chapter 2: Battle

* * *

**

_Gentle reader, may you never feel what I then felt! May your eyes never shed such stormy, scalding, heart-wrung tears as poured from mine. May you never appeal to Heaven in prayers so hopeless and so agonized as in that hour left my lips; for never may you, like me, dread to be the instrument of evil to what you wholly love._

_ –_Charlotte Bronte_, Jane Eyre

* * *

_

In the heart of the Fire Palace, a crumbled piece of parchment was being squeezed in an unrelenting hand, moments away from being turned to ash.

The young Fire Lord had been sitting in his study, pouring over troop movements in the Earth Kingdom when the missive had arrived. A messenger had hesitantly knocked at the door, and he bade the man entry.

He knew what had arrived, and rather than feel the elation he had expected, all he felt was dread and emptiness. He was about to discover the precise location of the Water Tribe remnant, which meant he was about to destroy Katara and her people.

He had been gathering his navy for the assault on the inhabitants of the north. Once they were defeated, the survivors would either swear fealty to him or be imprisoned. He would control the world. And Katara would likely be dead.

As much as he wished her to run from the fighting, it was more than likely she would run to it. He felt in his soul that it was their destiny to meet again. The feeling of dread wrapped around his heart.

As soon as he read the missive, the fury once again rose inside him. He fumed as he realized that the people of the Water Tribe had been hiding right under his nose – in the already defeated capital city of the Northern Water Tribe.

Of course, he had to give them credit. Their carefully constructed façade of an abandoned city was certainly a clever idea. Not clever enough to save them, but intelligent nonetheless.

His scouts in the north had left him with the impression that the Water Tribe remnant was nomadic, moving with the animal herds they depended upon for survival. His spies had informed him that they set up villages consisting of tents and igloos, but were constantly on the move. Therefore a planned assault was nearly impossible.

Now that they had apparently abandoned the nomadic lifestyle to occupy their former city, an invasion was possible. Once found, the underground ice caverns would be a death trap. The leaders of the Water Tribe had obviously been counting on the fact that they would never be found.

Their location had been discovered, and the Fire Nation held the advantage. The Water Tribe would fall.

He strode out of his study with purpose, and called for a meeting with his generals in the war room. This day had been years in coming, and he knew the men would be eager to finally plot the downfall of the Water Tribe. The bulk of their people had been eliminated, but the remnant had proven to be a thorn in the Fire Nation's side for years.

When Zuko arrived in the war room, the men had already arrived and were awaiting the presence of their Fire Lord. They bowed to him as he entered. Zuko looked at the group of men gathered before him. Each was a competent warrior in his own right, as the Fire Lord refused to appoint any man to this position who had not earned it by showing prowess in battle. Each man was in charge of a different division of the military.

"Gentlemen, we have finally been afforded the opportunity to effectively eliminate the Water Tribe remnant as a threat. The central location of their people has been discovered," he paused as he let the information soak in. He watched as several heads nodded in approval.

He continued. "They have apparently been hiding right under our noses. Their waterbenders have carved out a city in the ice _underneath_ the former capital of the Northern Water Tribe," he explained, anger evident in his voice.

Angry murmurs made their way through the group.

"This invasion is too important to take lightly. I will personally lead the attack," he said with determination. "General Arata, you will be in charge of naval operations. General Taiki," he addressed a stout man with graying sideburns, "since General Kuro is in the Earth Kingdom at the moment, you will be in charge of the land assault. The rest of you will provide support. Prepare the archers and calvary. General Sora, gather our tanks and other resources."

"My lord," General Taiki addressed him, "who is to be in charge of the country in your absence?" He left it unspoken that in previous instances of Zuko's absence, Azula had taken over his duties.

"I have already set up a temporary chain of command that will run day to day government operations while I am absent," he reassured the men.

"Any more questions?" he asked, looking each man in the eye. No one spoke. "Good. Now go and begin preparations for an invasion. We will reconvene tomorrow to go over strategy. We will depart for the north in one week."

He watched in numb satisfaction as the men scurried out of the room to do his bidding.

He attempted to put thoughts of a blue-eyed waterbender out of his mind. The Fire Lord thought he was successful until he woke up with a yell in the middle of the night. She continued to haunt his dreams.

* * *

Bato stood hesitantly before the newly-formed Ruling Council of the Water Tribe. Everything in him rebelled against betraying Katara to the Water Tribe leaders, but he had no choice. He couldn't take the chance that she might either intentionally or inadvertently betray their people.

"Bato, we are so happy your mission was successful and you have returned our Katara to us," Master Pakku said graciously.

"Thank you, Master Pakku. I too am happy to have Katara returned to us. I only wish we could have saved the other warriors as well," he began.

The Council members nodded sadly.

"Well then, Bato, let's get down to business. What did you wish to speak to us about?" one of the elders asked.

"I-" he hesitated before continuing, "I wish to speak with you about Katara. I am concerned about her," he started.

He noticed Pakku stiffen in his seat. "How so?" the gray-haired man asked, worry evident in his voice.

"On the voyage home, it became evident that she has…feelings for the Fire Lord," he choked out.

A few involuntary gasps erupted from the throats of some of the men.

"I love her as my own daughter, and I hate to think such things of her…but I will not risk the Water Tribe. Not even for her," he said in a rush.

"What do you recommend we do, Bato? You know her better than anyone else," Pakku said sadly.

"I do not believe she would consciously betray us, but then again, I never thought she would…grow fond of the Fire Lord," he said, bile rising in his throat at the thought. "She should be closely watched. Perhaps bring her before you to question her about her captivity. Our best warriors should be made aware of potential betrayal," he said, unable to keep the despair from his voice. "We should also begin preparations for an invasion," he finished quietly.

The Council nodded their agreement.

"Very well. We will have her watched, although I suspect she will notice even our most stealthy warriors. She is highly skilled herself, and will be aware of such things. She will appear before the Council tomorrow for an interview," Pakku stated, his eyes suddenly dull.

Bato gave his agreement, paid his respects, and left the room. He couldn't believe it had come to this.

* * *

Shortly after her arrival, Bato had informed her that she would be brought before the Ruling Council of the Water Tribe. The government of her people had been essentially non-existent for years following the eradication of the southern population and the defeat of the northern capital. The royal family had all been killed, and the people of the Water Tribe had been scattered.

Now that they had been moved once more to a central location, the people of the Water Tribe had seen the need to set up a provisional government. There were still isolated small villages in the northern lands, but the idea of rebuilding their culture had appealed to many, so several hundred were now living in the under-ice caverns of the city or in the general vicinity of the former capital.

Bato had come to her the morning of her appearance before the Ruling Council. She had been blindsided with the announcement that she was to attend an audience with the council to tell them of her experiences in the Fire Nation. That was the last thing she wanted to do.

A short time later, she stood alongside Bato before the group of six men. They represented quite a range of ages – the youngest appeared to be in his thirties, and the oldest looked as if he was one step away from joining the Spirit World.

_Figures they would all be men._

Much to her relief, she had learned that Pakku was one of the men that had been elected to the council, and he offered her a curt smile of reassurance when she looked over to him.

She stood, shifting her weight from foot to foot as she awaited their words.

"Miss Katara," the ancient one began, "we wish to speak to you regarding your captivity in the Fire Nation."

She took a deep breath, attempting to hide her anxiety. After all, she was unsure of what Bato may have told them.

_Master waterbenders do not show nervousness before a group of pompous men._

"What do you wish to know?" she asked coolly, clasping her hands in front of her.

Another council member, one of the middle-age men with graying hair, addressed her next.

"Did you, at any time, reveal any of the secrets of our nation?" he asked, the wrinkles in his face becoming deeper as his suspicious expression grew.

"No," Katara said simply.

_Our nation's secrets? No. My secrets? Yes._

The council members all seemed to shift in their seats, clearly dissatisfied with her succinct answer.

_What do they expect? Do they want me to throw myself at their feet, crying for them to believe me?_

The youngest man spoke next. He was a fearsome-looking, muscular warrior who seemed to regard her with ill-disguised loathing. His question was tinged with hope, however.

"Did you note any weaknesses of the Fire Nation? Perhaps of the Fire Lord himself? Certainly you saw something. I'm sure you wish for the defeat of the Fire Lord," he stated, although his tone hinted that he didn't quite believe this of her.

_For La's sake, what did Bato tell them? And Zuko's weakness? Even I, the woman he claimed to love, am not a weakness. He plans to kill me if I get in the way._

"I'm sorry. I was confined to a small, dark cell for the duration of my imprisonment. I was not given much chance to explore the Fire Nation's state secrets," she said, a hint of sarcasm leaking into her voice.

The young warrior's expression darkened.

"You were in Fire Nation custody for months! Do you mean to tell me you saw _nothing_ in the entire time you were there?" he asked, his voice rising in volume. Katara noticed Pakku give the man a quick disapproving glare. At least _someone_ seemed to be on her side.

Katara bristled at the attitude of the younger man. "_I_ was the one imprisoned! _I _was the one interrogated! Not the other way around! The Fire Lord was certainly not going to give any secrets away!" she said sharply.

_Except for a few of his own personal secrets._

Pakku interrupted the exchange before it grew more heated. His face, although still stern, managed to convey softness and pity to her. The look made her want to burst into tears. She didn't want pity.

"Katara my dear, I am aware that your captivity was difficult. All the council needs to know is whether you may have accidentally revealed anything – perhaps in a moment of weakness?" he said gently.

Carefully trying to control her anger, Katara responded. In a hard, quiet voice, she said, "I watched one of my friends die before my eyes because I would not reveal anything. _Your_ name and location in particular, Master Pakku. No. I did not reveal any of our secrets."

The ancient man spoke once more.

"In light of the fact that several other Water Tribesmen were taken prisoner and presumably tortured, I suggest we begin making preparations for battle. There is a very real possibility that we will be found, no matter how well hidden we think we are. The Fire Nation could very well show up on our doorstep tomorrow," he advised.

The Ruling Council dismissed Bato and Katara, and she heard them discussing the city's defenses and battle strategies as they exited the chamber. More disconcertingly, she felt their suspicious glares on her back. Once a prisoner, always a prisoner. They would never believe her. Despite the elder's words, she suspected that the preparations for invasion were being made because of her.

* * *

A month later, Katara sat outside in the icy chill. The sun beat down upon her, but provided no warmth. The tribe was making a last minute push for winter preparations. Hunting had been poor this season, and fishing had only been marginally better. Winter would be harsh this year.

Amid preparations for the winter, the people of the Water Tribe had also been making preparations for war. The waterbenders had worked on fortifying their outer defenses. Weapons were being constructed and sharpened. Traditional warriors and waterbenders alike were continuously sparring, trying to keep bodies toned and reflexes sharp. The number of sentries keeping watch had been doubled.

The men had just returned with a few baskets of fish, and Katara was busy helping the villagers clean them. She automatically moved through the motions. She had learned to clean a fish the moment her parents had trusted her to handle a knife.

She slit the fish open and cleared out the organs. The smell of the freshly cut fish entered her nostrils. The people of the Water Tribe had learned to use nearly every part of the fish. The meat and some of the organs were used for food. The oils from the liver were saved to use to fuel lamps. Bones would be used to make various tools. The grainy roe was revered as a salty delicacy. Even the stomach and intestines were used as bait to capture more fish.

Once the fish was strung on a line with several other fish, she set them out for the filets to freeze dry. The meat would be preserved for the winter.

As she moved through the motions on each fish, her mind wandered. Sadness had swept over her when she had realized that she would never fit in with her people again. Their gazes seemed to carry suspicion. Katara was no longer certain that Bato had not breathed a word of her strange relationship with Zuko. She could not shake the feeling that she had betrayed them all in her feelings for the Fire Lord.

She carried on polite conversations when the opportunity arose, but for the most part, she remained isolated. No one made moves to talk to her. The close friends she had had, such as Akna, were now dead. Her family was gone, and Bato no longer trusted her.

It seemed as though she had been tainted with the Fire Nation, and no one wanted anything to do with her. She had wished so fervently to come home during her imprisonment, but what had she come home to? Strangers…and the only familiar faces regarded her with poorly disguised suspicion. Master Pakku had been oddly distant in the past few days, and Katara suspected that Bato had revealed to him that she had experienced more interaction with the Fire Lord than she had let on.

In the past few weeks, she had noticed some of the Water Tribe's elite warriors following her closely. They were extremely subtle in their movements, but Katara knew when she was being watched. At this point, she was certain the Ruling Council had appointed them to monitor her every move.

During her imprisonment, she had hoped that if she ever escaped, she might come back to train other waterbenders. Now, she doubted anyone would trust her with that task. She would never shake the stigma of being a former Fire Nation prisoner. She knew that wild rumors circulated about her…and she feared that there was some truth to them. Perhaps she could journey across the tundra and find one of the small nomadic villages…somewhere where she could forget everything that had ever happened to her.

The sharp filet knife slipped in her hand, and sliced into her finger. Muttering a curse at the sharp pain and sudden well of blood that issued forth, she quickly liquefied some snow and pressed it to her finger. Relief was instant as the blue glow filled her hand.

She was furious with herself for being so careless. Her father had taught her the proper way to handle a knife at a young age, and she had never cut herself. She must have been truly preoccupied with her thoughts.

A shout from several yards away broke through the chilly morning air, distracting her from her injury. She looked up in time to see several people emerging from the cracks in the ice to stare at something. Bato came up next to her.

Something dark caught her eye as it fell through the sky. Black. Soon the sky was filled with pinpricks of black. Black snow…the pure snow of the Water Tribe mixed in with the dirty soot of the Fire Nation. She numbly reflected that this could be a metaphor for herself. Her eyes widened in horror.

_I knew he would come. But this soon? How did they find us?_

She saw movement out of the corner of her eye and realized that Bato and two other warriors were moving toward her with purpose. Fury was written on their faces…Bato's was the worst of all, for he carried the hurt of betrayal. Comprehension settled upon her as she watched them move toward her. Bato _must_ have told them. They had been watching and waiting for any sign that she had betrayed them. Apparently the soot-stained snow was the sign they had been waiting for.

Her heart sank as she realized that they blamed her. Pain ripped through her at the thought that her people thought she had betrayed them. Dimly she realized that she _was_ the cause of the black snow. That _she_ had brought them here. It had been unintentional, but the result was the same. Zuko had followed her here.

And they were going to imprison her before the most important fight of her life. Her waterbending instincts kicked in, and she was away in a flash, speeding away on a pathway of ice. Dimly she realized that the action would solidify their idea that she was guilty, but they would think that of her anyway. Some of the warriors attempted to capture her, but she was one of the Water Tribe's most skilled waterbenders. She easily eluded them. Fortunately, Pakku was inside. He was the only person who stood a chance at catching her. She didn't want it to come to a fight. Tears flooded her eyes as the thought struck her that they would surely think her guilty now.

She would escape to higher ground and fight the battle on the fringe. She would fight for her people. Continuing on her icy pathway, she made her way to the top of the glacier. She lifted herself up the ice face on columns of ice and water. After a few quick glances below and behind her, she determined that the warriors were unable to follow her up the sheer cliff.

When she reached the summit, the sight that greeted her was astounding. From this high, she could see for miles out over the water. Fire Nation ships were just now coming over the horizon – and they stretched as far as she could see. At the head of the fleet was what must have been Zuko's flagship. The massive vessel dwarfed all the others. A golden dragon graced its bow, and smoke belched from the ship's furnaces, mixing with the snow.

Katara sank to her knees. Her heart plummeted in her chest as she realized her people were vastly outnumbered. In the distance, she saw several sentries running for the center of the city, bringing with them the terrible news of the Fire Nation fleet. The dark snow was falling heavier as a storm moved in. The pure white flakes continued to mix with the soot of a thousand ships, and Katara numbly watched the black begin to cover the ground. Her blue parka now carried smeared stains of ash.

She closed her eyes and mentally prepared for the battle ahead. She feared that nothing would prepare her for the coming confrontation.

* * *

Zuko stood in the command center of his flagship, gazing through a telescope upon the frozen tundra they were about to invade. He barked orders to the helmsman as his ship maneuvered into position. They would, of course, have to destroy the newly reinforced gates of the city first. The only other way into the city was to scale the sheer ice cliffs. It wasn't the most expedient way to invade the city.

Atop the icy cliff, a few figures in blue ran for the city. Sentries. They would bring word of the imminent attack. Not that it would be much help for the Water Tribe now. The Fire Nation fleet was closing fast on the Water Tribe territory.

Soon, a line of ships floated in the water, their weapons facing the outer walls of the Water Tribe city. All was prepared. Zuko gave the command to raise the flag that would signal his fleet to commence the attack. Catapults were readied, and soon flaming projectiles were being launched at the massive walls of ice.

The next hours were chaos as he sent out communications to other ships in his fleet, attempting to coordinate the battle.

Within hours, the gates had been breached. It was time for the land-based assault to begin. Zuko adjusted his armor and prepared for battle.

* * *

Katara watched from her perch as the Fire Nation ships on the front line used their dragon-shaped bows as battering rams to finish off the once-impressive Water Tribe city gates. A low rumble echoed through the ice as the massive walls of ice came down in an avalanche. She looked away as a few figures in blue were overtaken by the falling debris.

She decided that the Water Tribe warriors were sufficiently distracted to bother with detaining her, so she made her way down to the thick of the battle. She had already dispatched a few Fire Nation soldiers who were attempting to scale the cliffs to attack from the rear of the city.

As she slid down the steep wall, she noticed that the Fire Nation ships had lowered ramps, and various tanks, archers, komodo rhinos, and foot soldiers were disembarking. She noticed one figure in particular that sat proudly atop a komodo rhino. He was small in the distance, but she would recognize his proud posture anywhere.

_Zuko._

She was forced to put him out of her mind as she came to the edge of the fighting. A foot soldier threw some poorly-aimed fire balls at her, which she easily dodged. She quickly molded ice into a sharp blade, which had become her weapon of choice. It was very effective, and death came quickly – a quick slice to the jugular, and her opponent would be dead in moments. It was war, but she still did not wish to inflict more suffering than necessary.

Her icy weapons brought down several more soldiers, although the following ones put up more of a fight. Her parka was singed in several places, and her shin stung badly where one soldier's flame had burned through her clothing.

She recognized that she was attracting more attention to herself as the Fire Nation soldiers realized that she was a rather deadly warrior. Flaming arrows whistled through the air. Her heart pounded when one passed so close that she felt the hot wind stirred up in its wake. The once-quiet icy day was now filled with battle cries and the moans of dying warriors. Ice, water whips, boomerangs, and spears filled the air, and were interrupted by flashes of flame.

Her chest heaved as she fought off soldier after soldier – she was currently fighting with her octopus form, since she was surrounded. She whipped a tentacle out as one of her opponents filled his hand with flame. She heard an audible snap as the force of her blow broke both of his legs along with the accompanying scream. She had no time to examine the damage she had inflicted – two more soldiers were rushing her. She threw water at a fireball that was headed for her, turning it into steam. One of her water tentacles snaked out and grabbed one man by the ankle and flung him through the air.

She chanced a look behind her, and her heart sank as she found that she was being surrounded. There was no way she could hold that many off. All the other Water Tribe warriors were busy fighting their own opponents. Taking a deep breath, she gathered more water and prepared for the fight of her life.

* * *

Zuko had to give these Water Tribe warriors credit. Each seemed to be fighting with the strength of ten men. They were not only fighting for their home – they were fighting for their freedom, for their very _existence_.

The fighting was furious. Thunder filled the air as he threw a bolt of lightning at a group of Water Tribesmen. He sensed someone running up behind him, and he jumped with a spinning kick that sent a great wall of flame at his attacker. He could feel sweat trickling down his chest, even though the air temperature was far below freezing.

He continued to shout orders to his military as he fought off his own opponents. He was, after all, a popular target. After throwing another massive wall of flame at a quickly advancing group of soldiers, he backed off the front line for a moment to have a quick discussion of strategy with his generals.

After rearranging the positions of some of his archers and cavalry, he re-mounted his komodo rhino to get a better look at the fighting. Hope filled him – his forces were crushing the Water Tribe, and he had seen no sign of Katara yet. He hoped that meant that she had declined to join the fighting today.

He was about to turn back to the front line when movement on the edge of the battle caught his eye. Water, ice, and fire were flying every which way. A waterbender was fighting his soldiers. His mind went numb. He _knew_ it was her. She was surrounded by about twenty of his men, and although she was holding her own for the moment, the sheer number of her opponents would overwhelm her. He ignored the thought that he was rushing to save her to _kill_ her. He had to reach her. He had to _see_ her before it all ended.

He kicked his komodo rhino into action, and headed toward Katara at a full gallop.

* * *

Katara was faintly aware of the noise of a komodo rhino running up behind her. She could feel the vibrations of the animal's furious pace through the ice, and she could hear its heavy breaths when it came to a stop behind her.

She was too preoccupied with the battle to even turn around to glance at it. She readied herself for the blow from behind, but she could not spare a moment of attention from the opponents in front of her. She already sported several burns where they had breached her defenses. She ducked, rolled, and came up flinging a sharp disk of ice that felled one of the enemy soldiers.

_One more down._

She encased another man in ice, and disabled another with a well-placed water whip strike, but the feeling of hopelessness in her grew as she looked at the sheer number of soldiers that surrounded her.

"Stand down!" an authoritative voice cut through the fighting.

All went quiet around her as the Fire Nation soldiers immediately obeyed the voice. Katara knew who that voice belonged to. It was a voice she had both longed and dreaded to hear. Slowly, she turned around to face him, her water whip still in hand. He stood proudly in his armor, looking as if he'd only had a light spar.

He gestured to the soldiers surrounding her. "Leave. She is mine."

* * *

Zuko regarded the waterbender for a moment. Her chest heaved as she tried to gain her breath from her recent exertion. Disappointment and anger filled him.

"I warned you. You shouldn't be here," he said, his voice hoarse with anger. His posture was hostile as he clenched his fists at his sides.

Katara looked at him in disbelief. "Did you really think that I would not fight for my home and my people?" she asked incredulously.

Zuko shook his head sadly. "I know. But still…I had hoped."

They looked at one another for a long moment, each drinking in the other's presence before the battle commenced.

Zuko spoke once more, his voice breaking at the words. "Katara – I love you. But I cannot – I _will_ not – let you stand in my way."

Katara struggled to hold her composure. She didn't want to do this. Hot tears pricked at her eyes when she spoke.

"Zuko, I love you too. But I will not stand by while you destroy my home and my people," she said, her voice a whisper, but the determination behind it was deadly strong.

Zuko stood mere feet from her, and she felt the sudden heat as he lit a flame in his palm. In response, she summoned a vast amount of water to her. She sensed she was going to need it.

The Fire Lord circled around her as she held her ground. He waited for her to throw the first attack, but it never came. Growling in frustration, he let a fire ball fly at her, which she easily dispersed with a flick of her water whip. The actions were mere child's play compared to what they were both capable of.

Suddenly, the true fight began. It was as if a dam had burst. Any warriors who were too close to the fight when it started quickly moved out of the way. The battle was epic – those who witnessed it would pass the tale of the clash of two benders down through the generations.

The pair was equally matched. Great walls of flame were countered with sweeping sheets of water that would freeze the instant its master willed it. Steam covered the landscape in a misty fog as the opposing elements met. Zuko let loose a flying kick that sent bright blue flame at Katara, and she deflected most of it. She cried out when some of the flame broke through her defenses and licked at her shoulder.

In response, she threw a series of deadly ice daggers. Zuko dove out of the way, but not before one had pierced his armor. Soon Katara's clothing was sporting several new burn marks, and Zuko's previously pristine armor showcased a new collection of cuts and gouges. A few lucky shots had injured him through the weak points in his armor.

Katara sped around the firebender on a pathway of ice, and he raced to catch her, enhancing his speed with jets of flame. To any observer, it would appear they were taking part in a deadly, beautiful dance. After what seemed an eternity, the opponents began to tire. They were evenly matched; it seemed they had reached an impasse. The colossal feats of bending became smaller as they moved closer to hand to hand combat.

Twilight was descending across the land, and Zuko realized that he must win this battle within the next few minutes, else she would soon have the advantage of the moon in the sky. Now was the moment when they were most equally matched – both the sun and the moon were low in the sky. Both waterbender and firebender had resorted to whips of water and fire, respectively.

Zuko grunted in pain as her water whip caught him across the small of his back, nearly knocking him off balance. He struggled to regain his center. If he lost his balance now, the battle would be decided, and it would not be in his favor.

After her successful blow, she took a split second to collect herself before resuming her attack. Zuko took full advantage of her momentary lapse in concentration and attacked with full force, sending wave after wave of flame at her. When he saw her strength wavering, he collected his flame into the form of a whip. He aimed for her legs, attempting to knock her off balance.

It was nearly over. The moment he had dreaded would soon be upon him.

* * *

Zuko's latest onslaught was unrelenting, and a well-placed fire whip knocked Katara off her feet. She fell flat on her back, the force of her fall pushing the breath out of her chest. As she struggled for air, she heard his footsteps crunching in the snow. He was coming towards her, and seconds later, he was standing over her.

His once-pristine armor bore new battle scars, most of which had been inflicted by her. In a last act of desperation, she molded a handful of snow into a sharp ice dagger. As she looked into his eyes, she knew it was too late.

His golden eyes looked down on her with regret as he filled his hand with fire. She felt the sudden heat-it cut forcefully through the sub-zero temperatures. Memories flashed through her head as she gazed back up at him. She thought of all the expressions his eyes had held. They had looked upon her with hate, with loathing, with exasperation, with bewilderment, with curiosity, with tenderness, and with love.

Katara prepared to die. She gave up her attempt to throw her ice dagger. Mere seconds had passed since she had fallen, and he would strike the final blow before she adjusted her position enough to throw it.

She would not close her own eyes. She would meet her fate head-on; she would not shy away. She would die with dignity. She stared calmly into Zuko's amber eyes, the light from his fire burning in their depths, and prepared for the darkness to take her.


	4. Mercy

Crap, just realized I've been forgetting this...

**Disclaimer**: _Avatar: The Last Airbender_ is the creation of Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko, and is owned by Nickelodeon.

* * *

**Author's note: **It's Friday! Finally! Once again, thanks to my awesome reviewers: **Calchexxis****, ****beastlySmalless****, ****storm2011****, ****secretsofadarkangel****, ****Katey123****, ****Jumpingbeans480****, ****ArrayePL****, ****InItToWinIT****, ****AnnaAza****, ****hg-always****, ****temariXshikamaruluva****, ****Densharr****, **and **badonyx**. I must say, **beastlySmalless,** when I saw that I elicited an "immense fangirl shriek" from you, I felt very giddy, then I said, "my work here is done." Thanks! The rest of you, thanks for the anger and the threats over the cliffhanger, LOL. I enjoyed it thoroughly.

And now, the moment you've been waiting for…

* * *

**Chapter 3: Mercy

* * *

**

_Mercy - pure and simple  
Longing - cold and hollow  
With sweet breath you'd come to warm me  
But I held on too hard to only a memory_

_You lie there on the swollen ground  
Deserted in your heart  
Still longing for what yesterdays lost  
And for all that tomorrow might bring_

_The passion lost - taken, stolen  
The dreams we had and we shared - shattered, broken  
With kind words you'd come to soothe me  
But I go blind and filled with fear  
Would send you away from me_

_There is no hope in regretting now  
All the pain that we could not see_

_We both knew what we wanted  
And we took it believing it free  
And we took it believing it free_

-_Mercy, _Sarah McLachlan

* * *

Fire Lord Zuko stood over the peasant waterbender, ready to strike the final blow. By killing her, he would eliminate one of the largest threats against the Fire Nation. She would always fight. She would train a new generation of waterbenders. He couldn't let that happen.

He looked down at this peasant girl who should have meant nothing, absolutely _nothing_ to him. He was the feared Fire Lord Zuko – the man who ruled the world. And who was she? A skilled warrior, to be sure. A waterbender – a race his father had ordered to be eliminated years ago. Once his prisoner. Once his enemy…now his enemy.

She should be nothing to him.

He looked down into her cerulean blue eyes. She stared up at him, her gaze unwavering. Most warriors, no matter how fierce, always shied away from the moment of death. They closed their eyes. They looked away. They did not meet it head on. Her beautiful face was devoid of fear. That fact struck him. Nearly every other person in the world looked upon him with fear. She had always met him as an equal. She was a _peasant,_ for Agni's sake!

No, the expression on her face was not fear. The expression she wore was sadness…regret…pity. His mind flashed back to the rare times when he had seen a smile on her face. It was a smile that had lit his dark world. Every fiber of his being rebelled against the sadness she wore. He wanted to see her happy. To eliminate the light that was her…the light that was _Katara_ seemed so incredibly wrong.

She should be nothing to him.

She was _everything_ to him.

He closed his fist abruptly, effectively snuffing out the fire he held. He was completely vulnerable in that moment. He knew she held an ice dagger in her fist. All she needed to do was shift her weight to allow her arm to throw it, and everything would be over. She looked up at him, disbelief clouding her features. She had been so certain she was about to die. And she had been correct. She _had_ been about to die – by his hand.

Zuko's shoulders sagged in defeat.

"Damn you!" he hissed at her. "Agni help me, I can't do it!"

Katara moved, propping herself up by her elbows in the snow. Her eyebrow arched quizzically, and her mouth hung open slightly. The ice dagger melted out of her clenched fist, all but forgotten.

"Zuko?" she whispered, her voice shaking.

He turned to face her fiercely. "Go!" he shouted. "Go back to your people! They have all but lost, but perhaps you can find a chance with them!"

She gave a quick glance over her shoulder to the now-fallen stronghold. He was correct. They had been soundly defeated. Even now, the Fire Nation was gathering prisoners. Pockets of fighting still carried on, so some still resisted. Her eyes fell upon a small group that seemed to be gathered together. Even from a distance, she recognized Bato, Pakku, and the Ruling Council. Warriors milled around them. They were still holding their ground.

Night had nearly overtaken the land, and the moon had risen. Winter was coming, and the darkness covering the land was growing longer. It would have been an advantage for the waterbenders, had most of them not already been captured. The temperature was quickly dropping, and Katara's panting breaths came out of her mouth in puffs of white vapor. A light snow fell from thin clouds overhead.

Zuko gave her a pained look. The light snowflakes reflected off of her dark hair – the moon was peeking through the clouds and catching the multi-faceted surface of the frozen flakes. She looked as if she had a thousand diamonds scattered in her hair.

"GO!" he screamed at her. Katara gave him one last look and ran.

* * *

Katara's breaths came in gasping pants as she ran, the moist air from her lungs immediately freezing in the frigid night air. The adrenaline of battle was beginning to wear off, and pain was starting to rip through her. Her muscles ached horribly, and her confrontation with Zuko had left her with several bad burns. Angry red blisters were forming where her skin peeked through scorched holes in her clothing.

She forced herself to put Zuko from her mind while she escaped, at least temporarily, from his forces. Several other Water Tribe warriors were running from the scene of the battle with her. They had also spotted the small group of senior Water Tribe leaders. The figures in the group came into focus as she gradually grew closer. The night was cloudy, but the moon poked through the clouds every so often, giving her a better view of the hostile landscape around her.

Finally, she arrived at the small gathering, and promptly collapsed. Her body finally gave out on her, and she lay in the snow unable to move. Footsteps crunched in the snow next to her, and one of the warriors that had escaped with her spoke after approaching what was left of the Ruling Council.

Katara's heart sank at his words.

"This woman…the Fire Lord…battled her," he gasped out, trying to catch his breath. "He let her go. I fear she is in league with him! They spoke quietly before fighting, but…but I made out some of their words. I heard her claim that she loved him! Their whole fight must have been a ruse! She will lead him to us once we escape!" he accused, pointing a finger at her. This was apparently the final nail in the coffin. Several of the men moved toward her with purpose. She could feel the hateful glares. After all that had happened, every last belief in her innocence had died with this latest development.

Her fingers clenched in the snow. She had neither the energy nor the will to fight. Several warriors held her down as they bound her hands and feet tightly. Her eyes searched desperately for Bato or Pakku. Surely they would not stand by and watch!

In the midst of the chaos, she spotted Pakku. Every last shred of hope in her died when she looked at his face. His wrinkles were deeper, making him look even older. He looked away from her as she tried to meet his gaze, and he shook his head sadly.

Her body went limp as he turned to walk away.

_Even Pakku thinks I have betrayed my people._

She lay in the snow, her mind without thought. Her emotions were completely numb. The warriors had left her bound face down in the snow drift. She turned her head to the side. She was aware of dozens of bodies milling around; they were frantically trying to gather supplies for an emergency flight across the tundra to escape the Fire Nation forces. It was a last attempt to live to fight another day.

The cold snow pressed against her face. Her various burns pained her, but she was unable to gather the strength to heal them. She shivered in the cold. Would her people leave her here, lying bound and helpless in the snow? Would they take her with them as a prisoner? A tear made its way down her cheek and promptly froze. Everyone she loved had abandoned her.

As much as she wanted to ignore it, her thoughts turned to Zuko. She had been positive he would kill her. She had accepted it when the time came…she had been ready for death…but he never threw the killing blow. Even stranger, he had sent her away rather than take her prisoner. Why had he spared her? Why had he let her go? She tried to look at the situation objectively. Was there some advantage to him allowing her to live? She could not think of a single reason for him to spare her. As long as she lived, there would be a threat against the Fire Nation. She gasped as she came to the conclusion that he truly and completely loved her.

When he had extinguished his fire in front of her, she had gained an opportunity. The ice dagger in her palm had burned at her skin, calling to her to use it. When she had looked up and seen the anguished expression on his face, she knew she could not use it. The images from her nightmares had flashed before her, and her decision was made. The ice dagger melted into the snow, the once-deadly weapon becoming a harmless frozen puddle.

And there it was. She _had_ betrayed her people. She had been given another opportunity to eliminate their greatest enemy, and she was unable to carry out the action. She had not been able to kill him even as his military destroyed what was left of her home and her people.

She heard shouts as more people approached. Katara gave a shuddering sigh, and attempted to close out the world.

* * *

The Fire Lord had watched her as she had run full speed for the isolated group of Water Tribe warriors. Her strides had become more labored as she had made her way across the distance, and she stumbled in the snow a few times. She had been joined by several other Water Tribesmen who were also attempting an escape from Fire Nation forces.

Zuko sighed. He should go after them. Most of his soldiers were preoccupied with taking prisoners in the heart of the city. Small skirmishes flared up when pockets of resistance were discovered. The group Katara was running to was obviously planning on escape – a few people had gathered some meager supplies, and they were distributing it among the remaining warriors to carry.

He felt both frustration and relief as she reached them. He couldn't even begin to wrap his mind around what had just happened. He felt anger at himself for his weakness. He knew she would rise up against the Fire Nation again. She would train more benders. As long as she lived, the Water Tribe would have someone to fight against him. Why couldn't he rid himself of her? His heart knew the answer. He loved her. He did not want to live in a world where she did not exist. On the other hand though, he was ready for the war to be over, and it would not be over until both the Water Tribe and Earth Kingdom were completely subjugated. He let out a low growl of frustration.

Sudden movement grabbed his attention. The other Water Tribe warriors were circling Katara menacingly. One man appeared to be yelling, and he thrust his hand out and pointed at the waterbender, who had collapsed in the snow. Fury gripped Zuko as they mobbed her and bound her hands and feet. She seemed to be looking at someone in the group, and he watched as an older man had turned his back to her and walked away.

Did they think she had betrayed them? To _him_? Before he knew what he was doing, he had called some soldiers to join him, and he re-mounted his komodo rhino. Blind rage licked at him as he watched them leave her bound in the snow. His decision was made.

_If they don't want her, then I will retrieve my waterbender!_

Chaos erupted as he approached. The warriors dropped supplies they were carrying to take up battle stances. He easily burned through their defenses. His sole focus was getting to Katara. He dismounted and ran for her, skillfully wielding his fire whip against the enemy warriors.

He was almost upon her when an elderly man jumped in front of her to protect her. Zuko's eyes narrowed at him. _Now_ they wanted to protect her? He held his fire threateningly.

"Move aside, old man, she is coming with me," he snarled.

The man summoned water. A waterbender.

"You will not take her," the man said, ferocity burning in his eyes. Zuko suddenly realized that the man was a worthy opponent, despite his age. Could this be the waterbending master?

Movement from Katara caught their attention.

"No!" she shouted. "Pakku – don't. He will kill you," she said as her voice broke.

"I can't let him take you!" the man – Pakku – said desperately.

"I am not leaving without her. I will slaughter everyone here if I must," he said, his fire crackling around him. The flame cast an eerie glow.

"You have already taken her prisoner once. You will not have her again!" the wrinkled old man said, his water moving around him.

Zuko's flames grew in intensity at the elder waterbender's words.

"Yes, I took her prisoner! She was an enemy! But you – her own people – have taken her prisoner when she has done _nothing_ against you! She fought for you; she revealed nothing to me! She has the strongest will I have ever seen, and she fights with the strength of ten warriors! And you have cast her aside in disgrace! I _will_ fight you for her if you do not back down!" Zuko shouted. The Water Tribe warriors backed away from him as his flames expanded around him.

Both waterbender and firebender readied themselves to face off, when Katara's desperate voice cut through the night.

"No!" she cried, thrusting a hand out toward them. "No, Pakku. I won't have you fight him for me. I will go with him willingly. You cannot stop me," she yelled, attempting to stand up in the snow. Her bound legs no longer supported her weight, and she fell back down. "As it is, there is no longer a place for me here anyway," she whispered, her eyes downcast.

Zuko longed to reach for her as she spoke. Her face looked as if it was ready to shatter into a thousand pieces. She was being forced to give up her home and her people.

Pakku's shoulders seemed to deflate. Sadness passed over his features, which suddenly hardened.

"Go then. If you join him willingly, you are no longer part of the Water Tribe," he said, his voice barely audible.

Zuko extinguished his flames and strode over to Katara with purpose. He gathered her into his arms. She looked stunned.

"If you cast her aside so easily, then you don't deserve her. She just saved your life, old man, and if you are who I suspect you are, this isn't the first time she has suffered for you," he spat at the man through gritted teeth. He felt her soft hair on his arms, and spared a look down at her face. A trail of tears had frozen on her cheek, and it glinted in the moonlight. He looked back at the elder man and narrowed his eyes once more. "As soon as she and I are safely away, my men will attempt to stop your escape. Consider yourself warned."

He lifted Katara up into the saddle of his komodo rhino, and seated himself behind her. Once they were a distance away, he heard the sounds of battle behind him. He found he did not even care about the outcome of that skirmish. All he wanted was to get Katara to safety.

He had some distance to cover on the way back to his tent. A temporary camp had been set up on the outskirts of the city. There was still fighting in the area where the ships had come ashore, so it was not practical to return to his flagship. Exhaustion practically emanated from the waterbender, and by the time he reached his tent, her eyelids had drooped closed and she was sound asleep.

He carefully lifted her down from the saddle, but she was in such a deep sleep that she most likely could have fallen to the ground without awakening. Zuko reflected on the irony of the moment. He had been trying to kill her mere hours earlier, and now he tenderly laid the sleeping waterbender on the bed that had been meant for him. He carefully unbound her hands and feet. She stirred slightly, and a pained sound emitted from her throat. Zuko was relieved when her breathing became even again.

After settling her on the bed and placing several furs on top of her sleeping form, he stepped outside and exchanged a few words with General Taiki.

The general bowed to him and updated him on the battle.

"My lord, victory is ours," he said, a rare smile coming to his face. "There are still holdout groups of enemy warriors, but we are systematically eliminating them. We control the bulk of the city. Surviving warriors are being taken prisoner and are being processed onto the prison ships. The skirmishes should decline overnight as we continue cleanup operations," he finished.

"Good, Taiki. You have done well today. Continue to finish up the battle. I am going to sleep for a couple of hours. You may rest when I awaken," Zuko informed him. The general gave another quick bow and Zuko dismissed him to carry out his duties.

Wearily, he entered his tent. He was much more tired than he cared to admit. The day had been taxing both physically and emotionally. He glanced at Katara, and once he was satisfied that she was sleeping soundly, he piled several furs on the icy floor. Not the most comfortable bed he had ever been on, but he was too tired to care. He was asleep as soon as his head hit the soft furs. For the first time in several weeks, nightmares did not plague his sleep.

* * *

Katara awoke with a start just as dawn was breaking. She desperately tried to shake off the fuzzy feeling of sleep as she attempted to figure out where she was. She was in a tent. Another snowstorm seemed to have moved in, and the fabric walls whipped in the wind. She felt the icy air even through the thick pile of furs atop her.

_Furs?_

Her eyes darted around the enclosed area. The fabric was red.

_Fire Nation._

She had been in a tent like this before – a few days after Zuko had initially captured her.

_Zuko's tent. I'm in Zuko's tent._

The events of the previous night came crashing back to her consciousness.

The frenzied sprint back to her people. Every muscle in her body giving out on her as she collapsed in the snow.

The accusations of her fellow warrior.

_I heard her claim that she loved him!_

The disgust and disappointment on Master Pakku's face. She realized she didn't even know where Bato had gone after the warrior's revelation.

They had bound her limbs – she hadn't even known if they would have taken her with them, or abandon her there to die.

Then Zuko had come. _To save her._ The thought barely registered. Master Pakku had been ready to fight the Fire Lord, and she had been so fearful that Zuko would kill the older man. Pakku was a skilled warrior, but Katara knew that Zuko would have defeated him.

And so she had offered herself as Zuko's prisoner willingly in an attempt to spare Pakku's life. Her waterbending master had not seen it as a sacrifice. He thought she had betrayed her people and joined the Fire Nation. His last words had cut her to the core.

_If you join him willingly, you are no longer part of the Water Tribe._

She had been banished by her own people; expelled from her tribe by a man she had studied under for years – a man she had looked upon as a surrogate grandfather.

An involuntary gasp left her throat as the implications of what had transpired the previous night hit her full-force. She was a prisoner of the Fire Nation…and no one would be coming for her this time.

Her brow furrowed in confusion as she realized that her limbs were once again unbound. Had the Fire Lord gotten careless and forgotten to chain her? She had been bound before losing consciousness, however. Zuko must have unbound her limbs. Confusion played in her mind. Perhaps he neglected to restrain her because he knew she had nowhere to run.

The gray light of dawn had gradually grown brighter over the past few minutes, and wrapping one of the furs around her shoulders, she stood up and shakily made her way to the doorway of the tent.

She needed to know what the status of the battle was. Her legs stopped moving as she hesitated. The sight that greeted her would not be a pleasant one, she was certain. She would likely find her home destroyed and her people in the process of being imprisoned.

Taking a deep breath, she crossed the remaining distance to the closed tent flap. She slowly reached for it, her hand shaking, and jumped with a shout as she felt a hand drop onto her shoulder.

She whipped around, her warrior reflexes at the ready despite her physical exhaustion. The face that greeted her was not entirely unexpected, but she hadn't realized he was in the tent with her. Her gaze fell upon a pile of furs on the ground. He must have spent the night there buried under the furs.

Zuko caught her quick glance at the doorway.

"Don't," he petitioned sadly, his hand still grasping her shoulder.

Angrily, she tore her shoulder from his grasp, and with a quick motion, shoved the tent flap open. She gasped at the sight before her. Figures in both blue and red riddled the landscape. The once pristine white snow was now stained with blood and ash. The city had once again been effectively destroyed. All of the entrances to the ice cavern system had collapsed. The surviving Water Tribe warriors were being rounded up into groups and forced to board Fire Nation ships. Katara had no idea if Pakku, Bato, the Ruling Council, and the group of warriors from last night had ended up escaping into the tundra.

It was over. The Water Tribe had been soundly defeated. She had expected this moment, but she had also expected that death would have taken her before she would be forced to look upon the defeat of her people. The last thing she had expected was to look upon the sight from Zuko's tent, with him standing inches behind her.

She let the flap of the tent fall closed, and turned to face him.

"_You_ did this! There will be none of us left! You have nearly wiped out my people!" she shouted, her voice wavering as she attempted to hold the hot tears back.

Zuko had stood with his mouth slightly open, seemingly at a loss for words, when she drew her hand back and slapped him. She stepped back immediately, a tinge of fear beginning to pierce her righteous anger. Expecting retribution, she took another step back in an attempt to put more distance between them.

Rather than striking at her, he merely looked at her sadly, his eyes downcast. Shock filtered through her as she realized that he wore a look of shame upon his face. Saying nothing, he turned and left her alone in the tent.

She heard his gruff voice order guards to be posted around the shelter. Absently, she rubbed her wrists, which were still strangely devoid of chains. She wondered at his lack of concern at her relative freedom. It struck her that although her limbs were unbound, she was more of a prisoner than she had ever been. She had been effectively banished from her tribe, her home, and her people. Everyone and everything she had ever loved was gone. She had nowhere to run…no one to turn to…except for him.

* * *

**Author's note:**

**Aww, come on. You guys didn't really think I'd bump Katara off right then, did you? I was halfway tempted to post a fake first sentence that went something like this:**

"**Katara lost. Zuko won, but then he felt like crap. The end." Hehe.**

**See you guys next week! As always, reviews are much appreciated!  
**


	5. Decisions

**Author's note: **Hi everyone! Happy Friday!

Thanks again to all my reviewers: **Densharr****, ****secretsofadarkangel****, ****InItToWinIT****, ****AnnaAza****, ****TigerStorm****, ****Lightdark-raveness****, ****Jumpingbeans480****, ****hg-always****, ****Katey123****, ****ArrayePL****, ****beastlySmalless****, ****temariXshikamaruluva****, ****BlackMagicWhiteMagic****, ****meggie-moo s****, ****gh0stwriter****, ****Natsuki-chan2912****, ****Calchexxis****, **and **The Summer Breeze****.**

Holy cow, I'm flattered by so many reviewers! I think I replied to everyone, but if I missed you, I'm really sorry! You guys are great!

And now what you've been waiting for. I hope you all continue to enjoy it!

* * *

**Chapter 4: Decisions**

* * *

_Lightning strikes  
Inside, my chest to keep me up at night  
Dream of ways  
To make you understand my pain_

_Clouds of sulfur in the air  
Bombs are falling everywhere  
It's heartbreak warfare  
Once you want it to begin,  
No one really ever wins  
In heartbreak warfare_

-John Mayer, _Heartbreak Warfare

* * *

_

Katara had spent the next few hours huddled under the furs in Zuko's tent. She had entertained thoughts of escaping, but she was at a complete loss as to where to go. The arctic tundra was a brutal environment, and she would be taking a great risk if she set out to find a nomadic remnant of her tribe. Due to the war, many of the nomadic people were extremely wary of newcomers. There was no guarantee that they would accept her. She would also mean one more mouth to feed, and times were difficult. This had been the worst year for hunting that even the elders could remember. It was not likely that the nomads would welcome her.

Truthfully, she had neither the energy nor the will to venture outside the tent. Zuko had posted guards outside, and she would be forced to deal with them first. The sight that had greeted her in the morning was frozen in her mind's eye. It was over. Her people's hopes and dreams for freedom had been effectively crushed. She didn't know if she could stand to watch the members of her tribe being herded onto prison ships.

She had fully expected to be dead in the event of the Fire Nation's victory. She had expected Zuko to be the one to deliver the killing blow. He had sworn she would not stand in his way.

She sighed.

Apparently she hadn't had any effect on the final outcome of the battle. In addition, she was once again in the Fire Nation's custody. She had not stood in his way. Once again, she felt disgust at herself. He had been vulnerable in the moment he had decided not to kill her, and she had spared him as he had spared her. Now her people were dead and imprisoned.

_Why?_

_Why can't I kill him when given the chance?_

_The same reason he could not kill you,_ her mind whispered.

She loved him. Spirits, she loved him. Bato's words on the ship flooded her mind.

_I cannot imagine what could make you care for such a man!_

She had seen another side to Zuko though. A side that the rest of the world had never seen. He was capable of tenderness and compassion. She had seen him smile and laugh. He had offered her kindness. He had kissed her with passion.

She put her face in her hands. Her warm, moist breath filled her palms and reflected against her face. When she removed her hands, the cold, dry air assaulted her skin once more.

She had seen him kill without mercy. He had attacked her. He was cruel. He had imprisoned the entire world, for La's sake!

The sound of footsteps crunching in the snow grew in volume as someone approached the tent. A figure ducked through the tent flap. Katara looked up, although she was certain it was Zuko. He had a certain presence; it seemed she could always sense when he entered the room, even if she didn't see him.

She had expected to see a smug and triumphant expression covering his face, but instead she was greeted with one of sadness and…regret? He glanced at her almost hesitantly, and looked away quickly. He spoke to her as he began rolling up some maps that had lain on a low table.

"We are moving out. The cleanup from the battle is nearly complete. You will be joining me on my flagship," he said stiffly. He paused as he awaited her reaction. She continued to stare blankly ahead.

He opened his mouth to speak when she interrupted him.

"I wish to join the other Water Tribe prisoners. Place me on one of the prison ships," she demanded suddenly.

He gave a long-suffering sigh, as if he had expected this argument. "No," he said simply.

"No? Why not? I am an enemy Water Tribe warrior. I belong with them," she stated.

He continued gathering his scrolls. "I will not have you joining the common prisoners," he said flatly.

"I _am_ a common prisoner!" she retorted.

Zuko paused in the midst of rolling up a scroll, giving her an exasperated glance. He merely shook his head.

"What if-" she began.

"No! Now come, it's time to go," he said. He turned to face her. "Do I need to restrain you?" he asked bluntly.

Katara hung her head, her thick hair falling over her face. "No. I gave my word that I would willingly go as your prisoner," she said in defeat.

Zuko gave her a curt nod, and guided her to his komodo rhino. It was a short ride to his waiting ship. Katara averted her eyes from the destruction, although a pungent smell hit her nostrils. Unfortunately it was a scent she was intimately familiar with – the smell of burning flesh. The Fire Nation soldiers were cremating the dead. Most had been dealt with by now. Gruesome piles of ash lay scattered across the landscape; small bits of cloth and armor had escaped the flames and tumbled over the frozen land, propelled by the biting wind.

She was surprised that Zuko's men had taken care of the Water Tribe dead as well as their own. She had been convinced they would be left in the snow, the bodies left to freeze until various wild animals came to…scavenge the corpses.

She looked at the former Water Tribe fortress. The cavern system appeared to have collapsed on itself; ash and blood still littered the snow.

They approached the open ramp of the vessel, and Katara looked at it warily. She had been aboard many ships in her life, but never one made of metal. It felt _wrong._

She hesitated, and Zuko grasped her forearm in an attempt to lead her up the ramp. She sent him a glare colder than any arctic blizzard and ripped her arm from his grasp. Holding her chin high, she stomped up the ramp, the metal clanging unnaturally beneath her boots.

Once she arrived inside the ship, she realized she had no idea where she was to go. Surely to some locked room in the bowels of the ship. Memories of her previous incarceration rushed through her mind; she shuddered as she thought of the confining darkness that awaited her.

Zuko instructed her to follow him, and she wordlessly trailed behind him, trying to memorize the winding corridors he led her through. The exercise was almost hopeless. The entire ship looked the same. She was surprised as they climbed a set of stairs. She had assumed she would be confined in the bottom of the ship.

Her eyes widened as she took in her surroundings. Everything was still utilitarian, but slightly more luxurious on this level. They passed what appeared to be the command center of the ship, and finally came to a stop in front of a door emblazoned with the Fire Nation symbol.

_He couldn't possibly be thinking…_

"You will be staying in my stateroom until we arrive back in the Fire Nation," he informed her.

_Yes. He was._

She shook her head. "No, Zuko. I don't – I can't – just lock me in a storage room or something!" her voice becoming shrill with desperation.

"Katara, you will stay in here. I cannot trust my men to leave you unharmed. I want you to be where I know you'll be safe," he said. Comprehension graced his features as a sudden thought occurred to him. "I will sleep on the couch. You may have the bed to yourself."

He opened the door and practically shoved her into the room. The room was warmed by a fire that was crackling in a small stove. After the sub-zero air of the North Pole, the heat felt stifling. His stateroom reminded her of his study back in the Fire Palace. It was richly decorated with Fire Nation symbols, and yet it was understated.

"Make yourself comfortable. I have duties to attend to," he informed her as he reached for the door. There was a quiet click as the door latched, and once again, Katara was left alone with her thoughts. To keep her dark musings at bay, she decided to explore the room. To her disappointment, the room was devoid of anything particularly interesting.

There was a chest that contained his clothes. A large, comfortable bed was placed in the middle of the room. A writing desk was positioned under a porthole. Katara was thankful for the natural light that streamed through the porthole. She feared she would go mad if fire was the only light source on the voyage.

As she passed the writing desk, a low cupboard caught her attention. Curious, she looked inside, and was greeted with the sight of a few neatly arranged scrolls. She ignored the vaguely guilty feeling as she explored his personal effects. The scrolls could very well contain sensitive Fire Nation secrets, and she glanced over her shoulder, nervous that he would find her here.

She doubted that he would leave anything sensitive out in the open, but it was worth a look. Her heart fluttered in her chest as she imagined the useful secrets that were potentially hidden on the rolls of parchment. Perhaps if she found information that would be useful in bringing the Fire Nation down, her tribe would once more welcome her back – if she could escape and return to them. What was left of them, anyway.

She pulled the first one out and her eyebrow quirked as she read the subject line of the scroll. A pang of disappointment shot through her. No state secrets here – just Fire Nation mythology – this particular scroll contained the legend of the Painted Lady. She was familiar with the legend thanks to the time she had spent in the northern provinces raiding the supply trains. At one point, she had even overheard some villagers theorizing that _she_ was the Painted Lady. Their furtive whispers had suggested that the Painted Lady was exacting revenge – the Fire Nation had ruined much of the landscape with factories that churned out war machines. Katara had been intrigued with the idea of a spirit tied to the water in the Fire Nation.

Feeling a bit more confident, she pulled out the rest of the scrolls. They contained similar stories. To her shock, she discovered some Water Tribe and Earth Kingdom legends mixed in with the predominantly Fire Nation collection. Her mouth opened in disbelief as she perused the titles. She would not have guessed Zuko to be the type to enjoy mythological stories. Carefully, she replaced the scrolls into their proper places.

_Well, at the very least, I have something to read._

A sharp rap at the door brought her back to the reality of her situation. Before she granted entry, several servants came pouring through the door. One set a tray of food at the desk; another set a pile of clothing on the bed. Yet another set up a privacy screen in the corner of the room. Before she could make sense of the whole thing, the servants disappeared.

Katara glanced at the steaming tray of food on the desk, and reflected that she was certainly being treated better this time around. She still hadn't regained the weight she had lost during the periods of near starvation. This was quite a change from her previous imprisonment.

As soon as she tasted the food, she had discovered that she was ravenously hungry. It struck her that she must not have eaten for nearly two days now. That was probably part of the reason she had collapsed last night. When she was finished, she examined the clothes on the bed. Red. She wrinkled her nose in distaste. A sigh left her lips. _At least they're clean. _Her own clothing was ripped and burned in several places, and spots of blood marred the blue fabric. She held the crimson clothing up to herself, and found that they were much too big. She would have to roll the shirt sleeves and leggings up.

She felt an unfamiliar motion beneath her as the ship shuddered to life. The movement was much different from the wind-powered wooden vessels she was accustomed to. The ship lurched as its engines struggled to force the metal ship into motion. Once underway, however, the ride was surprisingly smooth. Katara was used to feeling the swells of the ocean much more acutely; Water Tribe vessels were at the mercy of the wind. The massive engines of the Fire Nation ship powered it smoothly through the water.

The noise of the ship was notably different as well. Water Tribe ships creaked and groaned as they made their way up and down the waves; the wind was loud snapping in the sails. In this great metal vessel, all she could hear was the low rumble of the engine echoing through the hull.

She changed, and made her way over to the porthole. The window was made of glass, whereas the windows of Water Tribe vessels were covered with paper-thin animal hides. She placed her hand on the smooth surface and felt the cold polar chill through the glass. She sighed as she watched the hostile ice she had called home grow smaller with the distance.

It was home no longer. She had no home.

* * *

After his flagship was once again underway, Zuko made his way back to his stateroom. As much as he hated to admit it to himself, he was nervous. What would he find when he returned? Would she be lying in wait, ready to kill him the moment he walked in? Would he find her collapsed on the floor in tears? Perhaps she had tried to escape already.

He didn't expect to find her calmly looking out the window. She had placed her palm on the glass, as if trying to reach out once more to her world. Her parka was neatly folded on the bed, and she had changed into the clothes he had sent for her. They were much too large, which made her look even smaller. She had unbound her hair; the wavy dark tresses fell in tangles down her back.

She continued to stare out the window after he entered the room. Zuko tried to ignore how forlorn and defeated she looked. It didn't suit her. There had always been a spark in her. Even back in the Fire Nation, when she claimed she had been ready to die, there was still some fight in her – the part of her that would never give up.

The words he had spoken to Azula a few months ago haunted him now.

_She is…feisty, to say the least. I intend to break her of it._

How things had changed in the course of a few months. He wanted nothing more than to see the spark come back to her eyes; he wanted to hear her sharp words cut at his ego.

Now, as she turned around, her face looked drawn and haunted. She resembled an abandoned orphan. The one thing she had always possessed the entire time she was in the Fire Nation was her land and her people. After everything she had been through, they had cast her out and banished her from the land she loved.

Zuko felt his heart shatter for her, and the anger overtook him. Words began to spill out of his lips.

"What I don't understand is why they abandoned you! By Agni, they invaded my city for you! They mounted an entire rescue mission to retrieve you. Then I find you here, and they are about to leave you for dead in the cold," he said, his eyes filled with confusion.

Katara shot a cold glare at him. "To be honest, Zuko, they thought they were recovering six other warriors as well as myself," she said through gritted teeth.

She continued on. "You want to know why I was banished from my own tribe?" she questioned.

Zuko blinked. "I suppose I do. I want to understand," he said.

"_Now_ you want to understand? You want to understand _after_ you've won?" she paused as she ran her hand over her face. "Oh La, if only you had wanted to understand before continuing this Spirits-forsaken war," she said dejectedly.

She grew more frustrated when he merely sat quietly, awaiting her answer. When she spoke, Zuko was relieved to see some fight come back into her eyes, although it was directed at him.

"Once again, it comes back to you! After I was rescued, I inadvertently showed feelings for you. Bato – the man who essentially adopted me after the _Fire Nation _raided my homeland and killed my family – realized that my feelings about you had changed. Before I left the Water Tribe, I wanted nothing more than to see you dead, and he knew it. After my rescue, I made the mistake of showing concern over your fate," she said, taking a step toward him.

"As vengeance for your treatment of me, he swore he would kill you and leave your body to rot. I objected," she said as a hysterical laugh left her lips. "He knew something had changed."

"This planted the seeds of distrust. I tried to explain things, but this did more harm than good. Bato feared I had essentially been brainwashed and was leading you to us. He warned the Ruling Council. The warriors were told to watch me. Then you invaded. They think I led you to us. I know you must have had us followed, and your team must have been very good, because we never saw them," she said bitterly.

"The final severing of any cords of trust they may still have had for me occurred when a warrior that witnessed our battle revealed to the Ruling Council and other warriors that he had overheard me declare my _love_ for you. They assumed our duel was a ruse, and that once we escaped I would lead you to us. Even Pakku…" she trailed off.

Zuko looked at her in askance. "He was your waterbending master, wasn't he?"

Hot tears filled Katara's eyes. She ignored his question, although her response was answer enough. "He banished me," she choked out, her voice cracking with sorrow.

Zuko reached for her, seemingly at a complete loss. Katara shoved his hand away.

He was surprised when her voice cut through the silence.

"Zuko?" she asked. There was a note of pleading in her voice. He disliked it.

"Yes?"

"Was the group Pakku was with captured? Is he a prisoner? Is Bato?" she asked, worry evident in her voice.

He was quiet for a moment as he mulled over the decision to answer her question or not.

"Yes, the master waterbender was captured. I don't know about Bato – I presume he was captured if he was with the waterbender," he answered.

Katara looked down at her hands, and a feeling of complete and utter defeat filled her. That meant the entire Ruling Council was either captured or dead. They had been her people's last hope. Now, they were prisoners of the Fire Nation. As was she.

The strange twilight darkness of the north was settling over the ocean, and Zuko called for dinner. Katara wearily walked to the bed and sat down on the soft surface.

Zuko was still wearing his armor, and he reached up to unfasten the clasps that secured it to him. He lifted the shoulder guard over his head, and winced at the pain his battle wounds caused as he moved. He had not had time to inspect the damage that had been inflicted during the battle. Most of the wounds were gifts from Katara. It was the first time he had seen her bend with full access to her element, and the display had been impressive. There had been moments when he had been certain she would best him.

He slid his shirt over his head, and looked at the various slashes and bruises covering his torso. It was no wonder he was sore today; he had taken a beating. He heard a sudden intake of breath, and glanced up at the waterbender. She had been watching him, and she was staring in horror at his wounds. There were various bloody slashes where there were weak points in his armor; mottled bruises marred the pale skin of his torso.

Both benders were relieved when a knock at the door distracted them from their respective thoughts. Zuko realized he was ravenous, and sat down to eat. He motioned Katara to do the same. She did not join him.

* * *

Katara had watched him from her perch on the bed, wondering what would happen next. She had found that she could not predict him.

She looked on in horror as he removed first his armor, then his tunic. Every particle of her being cried for release from this room. She did not want to be in close proximity to him, much less be forced to look upon his well-muscled torso. She shuddered at the thoughts _that_ would bring.

Finding herself unable to look away, she was further horrified to see the various wounds all over him. She suspected she had been the cause of most of them. A grim satisfaction passed through her, and was immediately replaced with guilt when she saw the pained look on his face as he moved.

Her emotions couldn't take much more.

_I love you. I hate you._

A thought floated up in her mind.

_You can heal him. You can take away the pain you caused._

She immediately shoved the thought back down into nothingness.

_He deserves those wounds!_

For what was possibly the first time in her life, she ignored her compassionate side. She decided he could live with the pain; it would remind him that she could hurt him too. Exhausted in every way possible, she lay down on the soft bed.

Sleep eluded her for a long while. Zuko extinguished all but one of the lanterns, and she was aware of his quiet sounds as he moved about the room. She heard him finally settle onto the couch across the room. It seemed she lay in the darkness for an eternity before the blissful unawareness of sleep finally took her.

* * *

Zuko lay on the couch, unable to sleep. It was not as if the couch was uncomfortable. He had fallen asleep on it before. No, he would not have been able to sleep tonight even if he reclined on the softest bed in the world. His thoughts were preoccupied with the sleeping waterbender across the room from him.

He had listened to her toss and turn for hours until her movements had slackened and her breaths became even. He felt some relief that she had finally relaxed enough to fall asleep.

His eyes drifted closed, and he finally entered the state between wakefulness and sleep.

Zuko's heart nearly pounded out of his bruised chest when an anguished scream cut across the room. It was the most awful noise that had ever passed through his ears, and he had heard the screams of a thousand dying men. He quickly lit a sconce on the wall, and he realized that she was still asleep. Another scream ripped through the night, and he made the decision to wake her.

He quickly made his way over to the bed and pulled her into his arms. Her eyes flew open, but she still hadn't come back to full consciousness. She viciously fought him, writhing desperately to get out of his arms. Even though she was not fully aware, she must have sensed the water in the small vessel near her bed. With a quick motion, she whipped it at him, the liquid freezing mid-air. Zuko gestured, and a small flame evaporated the ice in an instant.

Katara suddenly went limp in his arms, and he looked down in concern. She blinked, and the Fire Lord was disturbed to see tears trailing down her face. She was shaking. He held her firmly.

"Katara, listen to me. It was just a dream! You're awake now! You're safe," he assured her.

Full consciousness had finally returned to her eyes, and she looked at him sadly. He slackened his grip on her shoulders when he realized his fingers were digging into her shoulders.

"No, Zuko," she whispered. She seemed to stare right through him, as if she were watching a scene from long ago unfold before her. "It wasn't just a dream. I just relived the deaths of my family. It happened. It was a memory, not a dream," she said, her voice shaking.

He pulled her shaking body fully into his arms. He had expected her to fight him, but she remained limp in his grip. He felt her small form jerk, and she was suddenly overcome with wracking sobs. The movements were violent – it was as if she had been holding these emotions prisoner within herself for years, and it was finally too much for her to contain.

All he could do was hold her as she grieved. Finally, the spasms that shook her body came with less frequency. She seemed to come back to herself, and he felt her muscles tense just before she wrenched herself from his arms.

Her eyes were red and swollen; dried tears formed paths down her cheeks. A hiccupping sob escaped her lips every few seconds. Abruptly, she turned away from him. She seemed ashamed of her outburst. Her eyes had difficulty meeting his.

"Zuko?" she whispered.

He looked up sharply at the sound of his name.

"Yes?" he responded.

"What do you intend to do with me?" she asked, uncertainty creeping into her voice.

He had difficulty forming a response. When they had met in battle, he fully expected one of them to be dead at the conclusion. When he had spared her life, he had forced her to run back to her tribesmen, hoping that she would survive the battle and that he would never see her again. When he had witnessed her people about to leave her for dead, pure instinct had taken over. He certainly hadn't planned this far ahead.

Her own people were either dead or imprisoned, and would not accept her back regardless. They had decided she had betrayed them all, and as such, had been banished.

He would not drop her off in the Earth Kingdom. War was brewing within its borders with his sister on the loose. A long and bloody fight was ahead.

He could bring her back to the Fire Nation, but he could not trust her there. She would be a prisoner. At this point, he feared she would wither and die like a flower kept from sunlight.

So what would he do with her?

"I don't know, Katara. I don't know."

* * *

**Author's note: **There you go! Hope you all enjoyed it. Oh, and if you haven't already done so, might I recommend my little one-shot called _Made in Earth Kingdom_? It's Zuko-centric, as he begins to right the wrongs of the past. I hope you all will check it out :)


	6. Message

**Author's note: **Wow, I can't believe it's been another week already!

Another round of thanks goes out to my reviewers: **hg-always****, ****secretsofadarkangel****, ****Katey123****, ****storm2011****, ****meggie-moo s****, ****AnnaAza****, ****Jumpingbeans480****, ****sokkantylee****, ****InItToWinIT****, ****The Summer Breeze**** , ****temariXshikamaruluva**** , ****darkpassion89**** , **and **XxSparklesxxBrightlyxX****. **You guys are awesome!! Your reviews make my day!

Okay, here's the next chapter! Enjoy!

* * *

**Chapter 5: Message

* * *

**

_Long lost words whisper slowly to me  
Still can't find what keeps me here  
When all this time I've been so hollow inside  
I know you're still there_

_Watching me, wanting me  
I can feel you pull me down  
Fearing you, loving you  
I won't let you pull me down_

-_Haunted_, Evanescence

* * *

When morning broke, Katara was the first to stir. Her eyelids felt as if they had a layer of sand underneath them. Her lungs felt raw; her chest felt bruised from the wracking sobs she had suffered only hours before. Her face burned with embarrassment at the weakness she had shown in front of Zuko last night.

_And I let him comfort me…_

Leaning forward, she let her head drop into her hands. The silk sheets covering the soft bed felt strange on her skin. Everything was so _wrong._

_I shouldn't be here. I should be with my people, fighting to survive. Fighting against _him.

Lifting her head, she ventured a glance at the sleeping form of Zuko. The pillows and blankets were rumpled around him. He had not had a restful night either. He began to stir, and groaned slightly as he sat up. Once again, his bare chest caught her attention, and it wasn't just the bruises marring his skin that caught her eye.

_Oh Tui and La, I wish he would put a shirt on!_

She tried to smother the feelings that rose in her at the sight of him. Katara quickly looked away as he caught her staring at him.

"Good morning," he greeted, his voice raspier than usual. He absently rubbed his eyes.

She didn't respond. Her mind concentrated on the movement of the ship through the water. Anything to distract her. Anything to keep her from thoughts of _him._ It was a bit difficult when he was in such close proximity.

"Are you hungry?" he asked.

She nodded absently as his question jerked her from her thoughts. He rose from the couch to call for breakfast. He carelessly dropped his crimson blanket on the floor. It was odd seeing him like this, she reflected. She was used to seeing him put together in his robes of state or in full battle armor. His hair was usually pulled up into a top knot, with the Fire Nation crown perched perfectly atop his head. He always looked perfectly in control; never tired or weak.

At the moment, however, he was dressed only in a simple pair of pants. His hair was unbound, and fell into his eyes. The lack of sleep had not left him unscathed – dark circles lined his eyes. He was still sleepy, and wobbled slightly as he stood up. She felt slightly guilty as he obviously winced at one of the wounds she had given him. She was probably one of only a handful of people who had seen him like this…he looked like a normal fallible person.

He called for breakfast, and a servant knocked at the door within a few minutes. Steaming trays were brought in, and Katara's stomach rumbled as the tantalizing scent hit her nostrils. After the food arrived, a servant entered with a small bundle of blue cloth. He handed it to her, and she realized her clothing had been laundered and mended.

The small act brought a smile to her face. She had figured her clothing would just be discarded, and she would be forced to wear the too-large Fire Nation garments. Now she could continue wearing the comforting blues of her homeland. She thanked the servant, and risked a glance at Zuko. He was consuming his breakfast, but looked up when he felt her eyes on him.

"Thank you," she said quietly.

He nodded at her, looking surprised that she had thanked him. An awkward silence followed, and they both busied themselves with finishing breakfast.

Katara gathered their plates and utensils when they finished, despite Zuko's protests that the servant would take care of it.

She rolled her eyes. "Zuko, what else have I to do? Believe me, I'm happy to help the servants out. I've been one, remember?" she asked sarcastically.

There was another knock at the door as he tried to formulate a response.

A soldier stood at the door, and handed a scroll to Zuko.

"My lord, this is an urgent message from General Kuro in the Earth Kingdom. The messenger hawk just arrived," he said quickly.

Katara's ears perked at the mention of the Earth Kingdom. During her brief stint back in the Water Tribe, she had heard rumors that there was uproar in the large nation, and Zuko's sister was at the head of the chaos.

Zuko read the message, and his hand suddenly clenched down on the parchment in fury. Anger clouded his features, and he began to pace the room. Katara looked at him curiously, and was surprised when he wordlessly handed the missive to her.

She quickly scanned through the formal greeting to get to the body of the message.

_Your sister has moved much more quickly than we anticipated, and has much more influence than we feared. She has rallied the Dai Li and most of the remaining Earth Kingdom military to her cause by claiming that through her, their nation will be free again. The small resistance cells have united against her, and they are growing desperate._

_Lady Toph Bei Fong is the leader of the united resistance effort, and she has been in contact with our forces. She wants Azula removed from the Earth Kingdom, and is willing to work with us to reach that goal. The girl is young, perhaps aged seventeen, and her ways are unorthodox, but her earthbending skills are unrivaled. It may be difficult to believe, but the girl is blind as well._

_She claims she merely wants (excuse the impertinence, this is a direct quote) "to give you a chance to get your sissy butt over here to take care of your family problem" before she does, but the Earth Kingdom resistance must be desperate if they are enlisting our help in their efforts to defeat your sister._

_Our combined intelligence indicates that Azula is gathering her army together and massing weapons. I fear she is preparing for an invasion of the Fire Nation. I respectfully request immediate aid. The situation is growing dire._

Katara realized her mouth had dropped open, and she quickly closed it. The Earth Kingdom resistance was notorious for its hatred of the Fire Lord, and until now, the various cells had worked independently of one another. The logic dictated that if one cell was captured and disbanded, the others would still be intact to carry on the cause. If they had been forced to unite, the situation was indeed desperate. The true measure of the situation, however, was that they were willing to work with the Fire Lord himself to defeat Azula.

She took a deep breath and expelled it slowly in an attempt to clear her mind.

Zuko had already gathered his clothing and was changing behind the privacy screen. When he emerged, he was once more clad in his armor. He once more looked like the consummate Fire Lord, but Katara was disturbed by the worry that now etched his features.

"We will not be returning to the Fire Nation yet. I am going to tell the helmsman to set course for the Earth Kingdom," he explained. After a slight hesitation, he said, "We will be headed to a port city. I will buy you passage to a destination of your choice – but only if it is far from my sister." He kept his gaze firmly on the floor.

Katara's mouth nearly dropped open. After everything that had transpired, he was going to let her go? She looked at him in confusion, and her mind replayed the contents of the message. The Earth Kingdom could use her help.

_I will never abandon people who need me._

Besides, she was rather curious to meet the Lady Toph Bei Fong. She had heard rumors of the girl. It was said that she was a genius at the manipulation of her element. And she was _blind._ Yes, she would very much like to meet the young girl who was now the leader of the Earth Kingdom resistance.

Zuko looked at her strangely when she replied.

"No, I want to help the Earth Kingdom. I will come and-" she stopped as he interrupted her.

"Katara, I don't want you near the fighting. You've seen my sister. You know she's-" he was cut off by Katara.

"Zuko, _you_ were trying to kill me just days ago!" she cried.

She was satisfied when he looked properly chastised. Once more regret covered his features. She still wasn't used to seeing that particular expression on him.

"I know," he said quietly. "I nearly took your life before I realized that I couldn't do it. I _need_ you, Katara," he said fiercely. "Agni knows why. You have done nothing but cause me trouble," he finished.

"_I've_ caused _you_ trouble? You're the one who imprisoned me, remember?" she argued, her eyes flashing in anger.

A hesitant smile crossed his face at her fiery response, and he crossed the room to pull her into his arms. She tensed, but relaxed as he held her. Something had changed between them the previous night. The barrier between them was disappearing. It was not completely gone, but it was melting more quickly than either of them cared to admit.

"You've got it backwards, water peasant. I think you have imprisoned me," he stated.

She lifted her head from his chest to look at him curiously. It was strange to hear him use the term "water peasant" as an endearment rather than an insult. He smiled down at her, and Katara decided she liked seeing a genuine smile on his face. She let his statement go without a response and rested her head on him once more. She relaxed as she listened to the rhythmic sound of his breathing. She allowed herself to shove the feelings of guilt deep down inside herself, if only for the moment.

He spoke once more, and she heard his voice deep in his chest.

"I'm glad you're staying for now," he admitted.

She pulled out of the comfort of his arms to speak to him.

She swallowed before speaking. "Zuko, you must know that I am not staying out of any allegiance to the Fire Nation. My goal is to help the Earth Kingdom, and at the moment, this is the way to do it. I _am_ curious to meet Toph Bei Fong as well," she stated. She saw a fleeting look of hurt cross his face.

"And while I am not loyal to the Fire Nation, I am also staying because of you. You hold me prisoner as well, in more ways than the obvious one," she said quietly. "I should hate you," she protested, anguish filling her voice.

She once more felt his strong arms around her. For the first time since parting ways in the Fire Nation, their lips met in a tender kiss. He brought his arms up around her, and immediately shuddered and grunted in pain. They broke apart, and Katara realized one of his battle wounds was the cause of the pain. She looked at him in concern.

She was prepared to offer.

"Zuko," she began hesitantly, "I can heal your battle wounds."

He looked at her, surprise filling his amber eyes. He protested. "I need to go speak to the helmsman," he said, grasping the scroll once more.

"Fine. I'll heal you when you get back," she said stubbornly.

Zuko sighed and left the room without another word.

* * *

The journey to the Earth Kingdom took longer than Katara had expected. The city they were supposed to meet the rebel leader in was midway down the coast. Katara hadn't realized just how large the nation was. The days passed much the same as her first few days on the Fire Nation ship, although she was distracted by her initial despair by a new sense of purpose. She would help the people of the Earth Kingdom.

Zuko had continued to rebuff her offers to heal his wounds. The injuries obviously pained him, and Katara decided that by denying himself healing, he was punishing himself for his actions. The issue became moot as the wounds healed, albeit slowly and naturally.

She had suffered a few more nightmares, and each time she had been awakened by Zuko, who pulled her into his warm arms until she once more drifted to sleep. Although she appreciated the comfort he offered, she insisted that once they set up camp on Earth Kingdom soil, she wished to be housed separately from him. She felt unease at living in the same quarters as him. He had grudgingly agreed, but only on the condition that she have her own tent – next to his.

She stood on the deck of the ship alongside Zuko as they pulled into the harbor. There was an assortment of ships in the harbor – anything from small wooden fishing dinghies to large trade vessels – and now Zuko's metal fleet joined the mix. Although it looked quite different from the frozen harbors she was familiar with, the feel was the same. There was the same hustle and bustle – ships unloading their catch, tradesmen trying to sell their wares, young men trying to get a paying job onboard a ship. The comforting cacophony of sounds greeted her ears.

Of course, the appearance of Zuko's fleet caused quite a commotion. Subsequent messages from Lady Bei Fong assured them that the village was aware of their impending arrival, and the people would refrain from open hostility. Of course, just because the Earth Kingdom villagers had agreed not to attack the new arrivals from the Fire Nation didn't mean that they were pleased to have them there. Katara was certain none of these people wanted to play host to the Fire Lord.

Katara looked at her surroundings with curiosity. This was her first visit to an Earth Kingdom village. Once they exited the marina district of the town, they entered what she presumed was the commercial section of town. Small shops lined the dusty streets. Vendors with strange-looking produce watched them with suspicious eyes. Soon, they began to pass what must have been a residential area, but all the homes looked deserted. Beyond the town, Katara caught glimpses of golden grasslands. Small farmhouses dotted the distant landscape. Beyond the rich grasslands lay a thick forest that bordered the sea.

They had been instructed to make contact with the rebel leader in a meeting house on the edge of the town square. Soon they approached the square, and Katara realized why the rest of the village had seemed deserted. All of the people were in the square, presumably curious about the arrival of their temporary allies.

If only she was not here in conjunction with the Fire Nation. Her face burned with shame as she walked. She heard the flags snapping in the wind overhead, and she knew she walked beneath the Fire Nation symbol. Tui and La, she was walking beside the Fire Lord! His honor guard surrounded them, and she knew she looked out of place – a spot of blue in a sea of red. Zuko hadn't explained her presence to the guards. He had merely stated that she would be joining them, and was no longer a prisoner. Katara had suppressed a shudder when he informed them that she was there of her own free will.

It was only a short walk from the harbor to the town square. Therefore, Zuko had declined both palanquin and komodo rhino, preferring to use his own two feet. He had also mentioned that walking would make him seem a bit less intimidating to the townspeople and the resistance cell they were meeting. She certainly couldn't argue with that.

Even so, they traveled with a full honor guard and all the pomp and circumstance of the Fire Nation.

Suddenly, a young boy broke from the crowd. A woman, presumably his mother, started after him, but stopped to look on in horror as her son ran up to Zuko and spit at his feet. He looked up defiantly at the Fire Lord even as Zuko's honor guard moved to strike at the boy.

Katara had already uncorked the water skins that Zuko had procured for her to protect the boy when the Fire Lord's authoritative voice cut through the chaos.

"Stop!" he said, the tone of his voice daring anyone to question him.

The men who had rushed to his defense looked up even as they roughly held the boy's arms. For the first time, fear came to the boy's face as Zuko calmly approached him. Katara's fingers twitched as she readied herself to defend the young boy.

_He wouldn't hurt a child, would he?_

Her shoulders sagged in relief as Zuko leaned down to the boy's level. He impatiently ordered his soldiers to unhand the boy.

The Fire Lord spoke. "Tell me, what is your name?" he asked calmly.

The boy, who looked to be around twelve or thirteen years of age – just on the cusp of manhood – glared at Zuko.

The Fire Lord sighed. "I haven't come here to harm your people," he explained calmly. "In fact, I am here to work with them."

Still glaring, the boy finally spoke. "Li. My name is Li," he said, his young teenage voice cracking.

Zuko nodded. "Li, it took much bravery to stand in defiance of me. I doubt any of your townspeople would have done the same. In a few years, you will be a formidable warrior," he said graciously.

The expression on the boy's face turned from hatred to confusion.

Zuko continued speaking. "Is that your mother?" he asked, gesturing to the woman who was steadily inching closer, a look of terror in her wide brown eyes.

Li glanced back and nodded.

"Return to her. You will need to protect her in the coming weeks. I fear there is a long battle ahead of us. You will need to be prepared," he warned.

Katara watched as Li gave Zuko a look of confusion. Katara knew how the boy felt. She had expected to hate Zuko for all of eternity, and his actions had caused her to drastically alter her opinion of him. He could very well have had Li arrested and punished, but he had shown the boy understanding and mercy. In her heart, she knew Li no longer blindly hated the Fire Lord. Zuko had given the boy a reason to question his beliefs.

Li nodded, still glaring, but with less fervor than before. He turned and ran back to his mother, who quickly gathered him into her arms. The boy's mother warily kept her eye on the Fire Lord, as if she still didn't believe her son would remain unharmed for his impertinence. For the briefest moment, her brown eyes caught Katara's blue ones, and confusion covered her face. Katara knew she was wondering why a Water Tribe woman was traveling with the Fire Lord.

Katara was relieved when they reached the building in which they were to meet Lady Bei Fong. The place was obviously used for town meetings. Inside was one large room dominated by a long table. A tense feeling radiated from Zuko's guards. They readied themselves for an attack. After, this whole thing could have just been a ruse to attack the Fire Lord.

The entire group seemed to relax when they saw there was only one occupant of the room. Katara looked at the girl curiously. She was young. Zuko's general seemed to have guessed correctly – she looked to be about seventeen years of age. Her black hair was pulled back by a headband, and she wore utilitarian green and brown clothing. Despite being distinctly feminine, her form was muscular and sturdy. The strangest thing was the girl's eyes. They were a pale green, and were clouded over with obvious blindness. However, the girl seemed to follow where everyone was in the room.

_How can she tell? Moreover, how does she _fight?_ How does she lead an entire rebellion?_

A lighthearted, slightly mocking voice cut across the room.

"Hey Sparky! It's about time you got here. You kept me waiting long enough," she said.

Katara nearly choked at the girl's use of the nickname "Sparky".

Zuko merely raised his good eyebrow.

"My apologies, Lady Bei Fong. Entire fleets cannot move as quickly as a single ship," he said graciously.

"Okay, first, cut the Lady Bei Fong crap. Name's Toph. I'm not gonna call you your highness or anything, so we might as well get that straight. Second. Who is with you? There's someone besides the eight guards around you. The steps are lighter, so I'd say she's a female," she paused for a moment to let them digest that. "She doesn't feel like a firebender either. Less punch to her steps."

Zuko started to answer, but Katara stepped forward. The guards' mouths were still hanging open. They were quite obviously wondering if the girl was in fact blind, or whether it was a complicated hoax designed to put them off guard.

"You're correct," she stated. "My name is Katara of Southern Water Tribe." She hesitated slightly as she said the words. A lump came to her throat. "I am a waterbender."

Toph raised an eyebrow over one foggy green eye. "I have to say I'm intrigued. What's a waterbender like you doing traveling with the likes of him?"

Katara's eyes narrowed. She spat out the words before even thinking about her response. "It's none of your business," she hissed, feeling the shame rise up in her.

The earthbender raised her hands in a placating gesture. "Whoa there, Ice Queen. I didn't think you'd be so touchy," she said, a hint of mocking in her voice.

Katara forced herself to calm down. _Getting angry will get us nowhere._

"It's fine," she said curtly.

The younger girl ignored her response, and looked over to Zuko. Katara found herself also wondering whether the rebel leader was actually blind. She couldn't see, and yet she seemed to know where everyone was in the room.

The girl addressed Zuko. "Okay, your majesty," she said with a sarcastic tone, "let's get down to business."

"First – we need you because your little sister got it in her head that she was going to take over _my_ nation's military to take over _your_ throne. It's too bad you couldn't keep your family business to yourself. As much as I hate to say it, she's gotten a bit out of hand here. We need your military strength," she began.

"Second – you need us because we have valuable intelligence on your sister's movements within our country, and our forces have earthbenders – which certainly comes in handy when fighting other earthbenders," her face grew hard, "especially the Dai Li. You need our intelligence and earthbending skills."

"So, we need a temporary truce. You help us, we help you, then things go back to normal with a few changes. In exchange for our assistance, I want the Fire Nation _out_ of the Earth Kingdom when this is all over."

Katara felt Zuko tense next to her. Her heart swelled with hope. Could this be the key to winning the Earth Kingdom's freedom? Zuko was desperate at this point. He had admitted to her that he had no firm numbers on Azula's army, and her movements were erratic. If the Earth Kingdom resistance could give them that information, it would be a huge advantage.

"No."

Katara looked up at him sharply, her blue eyes blazing. In her peripheral vision, she saw Toph's face grow angry.

"No?" the earthbender asked incredulously. "I don't think you have any concept of how powerful your dear little sister has gotten. She has the backing of the entire former Earth Kingdom military. She's been storming towns and recruiting all able-bodied warriors. Her army is huge. You wanna see the numbers? Fine. I'll give you the numbers," she motioned for someone to enter the room who had just materialized in the doorway.

The burly man walked into the room, and handed Zuko a scroll at Toph's behest. The Fire Lord took the parchment and unrolled it. Katara was alarmed to see fleeting panic on his face, which he quickly controlled. However short-lived, the panic had made itself evident.

She felt it was time for her to speak. "It's bad, isn't it? Don't you see? We need their help!" Katara almost stumbled as she realized she said "we". She forced it back the recesses of her mind. She couldn't dwell on it now.

The guards surrounding her and Zuko tensed at her impertinence toward their Fire Lord. One of them moved toward her, and Zuko impatiently gestured toward him to stand down. Katara felt vague relief at that action.

Zuko sighed. "Fine. I will think on this overnight, and draw up my terms. This will give you and your senior leadership time to determine your terms. We meet here tomorrow at noon, and will come to a compromise on the terms of the treaty."

Toph gave a curt nod. "Fine. We meet here tomorrow at noon. Don't make me wait," she said snappily. With that, she brushed past Zuko and his entourage and left the building.

Zuko's voice cut through the stunned silence.

"Time to draw up a treaty."

Katara couldn't quite hide the smile that came to her face.

* * *

**Author's note: **There you have it! I hope you all liked the introduction of Toph. Hopefully she still came across as the same Toph (although slightly older and more battle-hardened). She's one of my faves, so I hope I did her justice! I've had some people ask if any familiar characters would be showing up - well, there's your answer :) See you guys next week!


	7. Truce

**Author's note: **I'm going out of town this weekend, so you guys get a present! An early post!!

Much love to those who reviewed: **meggie-moo s****, ****AnnaAza**** , ****darkpassion89**** , ****secretsofadarkangel**** , ****hg-always**** , ****ArrayePL****, ****XxSparklesxxBrightlyxX****, ****BlackMagicWhiteMagic****, ****Taken by the Flame****, ****Katey123****, ****Jumpingbeans480****, ****sokkantylee****, ****storm2011****, **and**temariXshikamaruluva**. You guys are my favorite! I'm so glad everyone enjoyed Toph's introduction!

And now on to the good stuff.

* * *

**Chapter 6: Truce**

* * *

_War is so unjust and ugly that all who wage it must try to stifle the voice of conscience within themselves._  
-Leo Tolstoy

* * *

Zuko ducked under the tent flap and stepped into the night air. He had just spent the past few hours consulting with his military advisors to come up with the Fire Nation's treaty demands. He had not allowed Katara to sit in on the meeting, for obvious reasons. She had been angry and argued that they could use a viewpoint other than the Fire Nation's. He had flatly refused. He hadn't been opposed to her presence, but he knew his advisors would not take too kindly to her. They were already suspicious of her. They had already questioned him about her relative freedom, which he had silenced with a threatening glare.

After his refusal to let her into the meeting, she had stalked off across the camp. Worry had run through his mind. He wasn't sure if she would stay. He _had_ told her she was free to leave.

The moon was just starting to peak over the horizon. The large orange sphere lit up the early evening. A harvest moon. Zuko sighed and rolled his shoulders, attempting to alleviate some of the tension. He approached the edge of the camp. All of the inhabitants were going about their business – cleaning up after the evening meal, sharpening swords, laying out bedrolls – the subdued activity was somewhat comforting.

He made his way to the stream at the edge of the camp. He figured that would be the most likely place to find her. Sure enough, she sat on a boulder on the bank of the stream. Her bare feet dangled in the water, and she stared mindlessly at the rising moon.

She didn't turn to face him as he approached.

He walked over to the edge of the stream and sat cross-legged on the boulder next to her.

"It's finished?" she asked simply.

"Yes."

He heard her sigh above the constant bubbling of the stream.

"Is it something that the earthbenders will accept? Or is it full of ridiculous demands?" she asked him, finally turning to face him.

He hesitantly handed her a scroll he had carried with him. He hadn't wanted to bring it, but he knew she would demand to know the Fire Nation's terms before their meeting with the rebel leadership tomorrow. He also knew that she wasn't going to like what she read.

He felt the scroll being lifted from his hand, and he stared down at the moon's reflection in the water as he listened to her unfurl the parchment.

He didn't want to hear her reaction.

_Why am I worried what a waterbending peasant thinks?_

He mentally kicked himself. His conflicting thoughts were going to rip him apart.

_I am worried what the waterbending peasant thinks because I am in _love_ with said waterbending peasant._

He hated to admit it to himself, but he was afraid. He feared that she would leave. After all, why would she stay? He was her enemy. As much as he no longer wanted them to be on opposite sides of the war, they were. Their truce was only temporary. After all, she was only staying to help the Earth Kingdom – not the Fire Nation.

He looked up at her when he heard her gasp in disgust.

"Zuko, do you _really_ think that they will accept _any_ of these?" she asked incredulously. She looked about ready to throw the scroll into the water. He almost wished she would.

"What do you expect me to do? This is _war_, Katara! I can't just hand them everything and then have everybody hug to make everything better! I-" he was cut off as Katara spoke once more.

"These are _ridiculous_, Zuko! The two parcels of land you offered back to them are inconsequential! Don't you think they will demand strategic cities back? Omashu? _Ba Sing Se?_ And leaving a full Fire Nation military presence afterward? Not to mention demanding demilitarization of their major cities! You are a fool if you think they will even begin to consider these! Why would they help you if you give them _nothing_ in return?"

Zuko felt fury rise in him as she spoke. How _dare_ she scream at him? _Nobody_ yelled at him like this and got away with it.

His reply was cutting. "You're helping me. I don't see you getting much in return."

He could have sworn he saw blue fire in the depths of her eyes. Too late, he realized it may not have been the best idea to infuriate a powerful waterbender next to a stream under a nearly full moon.

She started to move into a bending stance, but then her arms fell back to her sides. She must have seen his gaze land on the flowing water.

"No, Zuko, I am not going to fight you," she said quietly.

She took a step closer to him. He suddenly realized that he would rather have had her bend an ocean of water at him than to see the naked disappointment in her eyes.

"You will never change, will you? You won't ever find peace with the world! Right now, you are being presented an opportunity to unite with the Earth Kingdom against _your_ sister, and you are about to spit in their faces. There will _never_ be peace!" she shouted, tears becoming evident in her voice.

"I _am _trying to work toward peace!" he countered. "We just have very different ideas of how that will be achieved! The world will _be_ at peace once it is under Fire Nation control!"

The waterbender's fists clenched at her side. He was certain she was consciously keeping them clenched to keep the temptation of waterbending at bay. Zuko smelled the acrid scent of smoke, and realized it was coming from his own clenched fists.

"Don't you understand? Listen to yourself! As long as you try to control the world, it will fight against you! The nations want to be _free_, Zuko! Free to decide their own destiny!" she yelled back at him. Zuko noticed the stream behind her begin to bubble violently; the currents and eddies fought against one another, causing the water to froth and foam.

Katara seemed to notice as well. He watched as she closed her eyes and took several deep breaths. The water behind her resumed its cheerful journey down the slope.

"I can't do this, Zuko. I am going to go find Toph and her forces, and ask to join them. I will fight for the Earth Kingdom, since I cannot fight for my own nation any longer. I will fight against your sister _and_ you if need be. I had hoped you had changed-" her eyes narrowed at him "-but evidently that will never happen."

With that, she turned away from him and began following the water downstream toward the town. Her wavy mahogany hair swayed violently in the moonlight as she stomped down the riverbank, her bare feet leaving footprints in the grass.

"Katara, wait!"

Zuko's eyes widened as he realized the words that had just left his lips. He had said them without conscious thought. He just…couldn't let her go.

She kept walking, and gestured with her arm. Water came flying up from the stream at him, effectively soaking him. Growling in frustration, he raised his body temperature and steamed the moisture off of himself. He ran after her and grabbed her arm.

"What?" she said furiously as she tried to wrench her arm from his grasp. He held tight.

"Help me rewrite the terms then! If you're so convinced you can do it, then _do_ it! They cannot be unreasonable for the Fire Nation. I will not have the Earth Kingdom walk all over us once this is over."

He felt vague satisfaction come over him as she struggled to come up with a response. Her furious expression softened into one of confusion.

"Really? You would give me that chance?" she finally asked quietly, her eyes searching for truth.

Once again, Zuko mentally kicked himself. He heard his father's voice echo in his head.

_You are weak, Prince Zuko!_

For the first time in his life, he rebelled against the shadow of his father. _Shut up, father!_

"Yes. My sister needs to be defeated, and if the rumors are true, her army has grown even larger than my own. As much as I hate to admit it, I need the help of the earthbenders. I know they will not accept the Fire Nation demands as they are," he admitted. "I expect to have some bickering and compromises, but they will not even consider my demands as they stand now. So yes, Katara. Suggest what you will, and we will try to work something out."

Katara sank down once more to the cool stone that lined the stream. She looked so small and lost. _How many different sides does this woman have? She is furious and powerful in one instant, and weak and small in the next instant._

Not quite sure how to respond, he sat down next to her. She shivered slightly in the cool night air, and he moved closer to her body to lend her some warmth. She didn't seem to notice.

"What am I doing here, Zuko?" she said as despair filled her voice.

Confused, he merely looked at her.

"I am lost without my people. I should be with them. They think I betrayed them!"

She let out a mirthless laugh.

"They think I betrayed them to the _Fire Nation_! To _you_! I suppose in a way I did. After all, I'm here with you. Like you said, I'm helping you, but what am I getting in return-"

He cut her off. "Katara, I didn't mean- I was angry-" he began.

She interrupted him once more. "I know, Zuko, but it's true."

She took a deep breath, and he saw her move her gaze up to the moon, as if imploring the moon spirit for her help.

"Zuko, I'm here because…spirits help me, I love you. I don't know why. I should hate you. You and your people have been the source of so much of the pain in my life. And through it all…there's something. Something _good_ I sense in you, and I pray I'm not wrong," she said in a rush.

He gathered her into his arms, and was pleased when she let him. He pulled her into his lap. She was still shivering.

"Katara, I don't know why either, but I love you too."

He let out a wry laugh.

"If my father were not already dead, he would surely fall over dead if he knew I was in love with a _waterbender._ You have caused me nothing but difficulty," he continued on even as she snorted in disbelief, "but somehow I am better for it. I question my sanity because of how I feel about you, but I don't regret it."

They sat quietly for a while, content to listen to the flow of the stream. Katara had settled herself deeper into his arms, and she stopped shivering after a while.

Zuko nearly jumped when she spoke again.

"There's something I need to know. I've been…afraid to ask," she began quietly.

"What is it?" he prompted her.

"What is being done with the prisoners you took at the North Pole?"

Zuko answered truthfully. "The prison ships should have reached their destination by now. Once they reach Fire Nation soil, they will be unloaded from the prison ships and processed. They will be sent to various prisons around the Fire Nation."

He could almost feel her shrink in his arms.

"I know it's probably not much comfort, but I gave the order that all the Water Tribe prisoners are to be treated humanely and with respect. I will deal with any rumors of abuse _personally_," he said. There was no room for doubt in his voice.

She was quiet for a few more moments, and Zuko began to worry.

Her quiet voice broke the silence. "They…will still hate you. My people do not belong in prison, Zuko." He felt her shudder in his arms, as if she was holding back silent tears.

Zuko felt doubt begin to gnaw at him. All this time, he had felt justified in continuing the war. And now that he had achieved a key victory – both the Northern and Southern Water Tribes were firmly under his control – he felt…wrong somehow. The waterbender in his arms had put a face to his enemy. What could he do now, though? He couldn't just let them all go free. As she said, they hated the Fire Nation. They would fight him.

He tried to push his thoughts to the back of his mind. After all, he needed to deal with Azula and her uprising first. If she defeated him, the world would be in a dire situation indeed…and his feelings about the Water Tribe would be a moot point.

"We need to work on the terms, Katara. We don't have much time," he said as he gently extricated her from his arms.

After Katara placed her boots back on her feet, they walked back through the camp in silence. Most of the occupants of the camp were asleep – only a few guards along the perimeter were still awake. The only noise came from the nocturnal insects and the crunching of their boots on the loose dirt.

Zuko led Katara into his tent, and laid a scroll and writing utensils out on his low desk. He motioned for her to sit down with him. He lit a few additional candles on the desk, and got down to business.

* * *

The following afternoon, Katara once more walked with Zuko and his entourage into the Earth Kingdom town. Neither she nor Zuko had gotten any sleep the night before. They had been awake when the sun rose; they had finally finished their work shortly after sunrise.

Coming up with acceptable terms had been grueling. Zuko hadn't wanted to give an inch, but she had made several valid arguments to change his mind on many of the terms he and his men had come up with. He knew his advisors wouldn't be pleased with the changes. He still wouldn't budge on his ban of a union between the Earth Kingdom and whatever remained of the Water Tribe.

In the end though, they had come up with several offers that the Earth Kingdom rebels would be fools to refuse. Zuko had finally agreed, after much arguing, to allow Omashu to return to Earth Kingdom control. Katara had also argued that the Earth King should be released from his political prison. The rebels would surely demand his release before considering any sort of truce, temporary though it may be. Zuko had argued that he wanted to keep the Earth King as a bargaining chip in negotiations, and Katara had finally conceded the point.

She remained hopeful as they entered the same building they had met Toph in the previous day.

"Hey Sparky, you're on time today!" a bright, slightly sarcastic voice said.

"Greetings, Lady B-" Zuko stopped himself, and finished by saying, "Toph".

Toph nodded in approval and approached them from across the room. Katara once more wondered at the young woman's blindness.

"You still running with this crowd, Ice Queen?" she asked.

Katara cringed. "Yes, I'm afraid so."

Toph took her answer in stride, and motioned for them to sit down at the large table in the center of the room.

"Okay, let's get down to business. I take it you came up with demands for this temporary truce?" the young earthbender asked.

Zuko began to nod, and then remembered the girl was blind. He verbally responded with an affirmative.

"Good. Let's hear 'em. And I can tell if you're lying, so don't bother."

Katara thought Zuko's good eyebrow would hit the ceiling at that statement. She wondered about it as well.

"Very well," Zuko said as he unfurled the scroll.

"In exchange for your help in defeating my sister and her forces, the Fire Nation is prepared to offer the United Earth Kingdom Resistance the provinces of Gansu and Hubei."

Katara glanced over at Toph to gauge her reaction. These were the original provinces that Zuko was going to offer. The lands were fairly vast, but unproductive. They had little strategic value. As she had expected, the young earthbender's face tightened in anger, but she waited to listen to the rest of Zuko's offer.

"Second, the Fire Nation will end its military occupation of the city of Omashu and deliver it back into Earth Kingdom control."

Katara hid a smile at the rebel leader's reaction to _that_ news. Clearly, the girl had not expected the Fire Nation to so easily offer the strategic city of Omashu. Sadly, Zuko had bluntly refused to offer Ba Sing Se back into Earth Kingdom hands. Ba Sing Se was the true prize, and Zuko would not give it up easily. After all, he had been one of the key players in placing the city into Fire Nation hands.

"Third, Fire Nation military occupation will end in outlying provinces."

He had originally wanted to leave a full Fire Nation military presence in the Earth Kingdom. Katara had argued for him to remove all of his military from the Earth Kingdom, but he had flatly refused. She couldn't say she was surprised by his refusal. This point had been hard-won.

"Fourth, the Fire Nation will be willing to discuss the return of three political prisoners."

Zuko shifted his weight in his chair.

"Now, in exchange for the Fire Nation's assistance in ridding the Earth Kingdom of the Princess Azula and her forces, we require these demands."

Toph nodded for him to continue.

"While I will end the military occupation of the less-populated provinces, I request that any Fire Nation families who wish to remain in their homes there be allowed to stay. I will not uproot my people from their homes."

He paused, waiting for an answer.

"That is acceptable."

"Good. My next demand is a ban on any union between the Earth Kingdom and the Water Tribe remnant. This is non-negotiable," he stated flatly.

Katara had argued with him until deep into the night on this point, but he would not be moved. She sighed. If the war continued, the Water Tribe would not be strong enough to mount any sort of offensive against the Fire Nation without the Earth Kingdom's help. The Earth Kingdom would have benefited from having waterbenders in its ranks as well. And Zuko knew it.

Toph did not give a definitive answer on this point. She merely instructed the Fire Lord to continue.

"We will give you Omashu, but a small Fire Nation garrison will remain within its walls. You will demilitarize any major cities under your control."

"Next, I demand that once the Earth Kingdom rebuilds its army, it shall be limited to 100,000 men. No conscription. No men may be accepted into the army who fought alongside the Princess Azula."

The rebel leader spoke, her voice hard. "Okay, Sparky, here's the deal. I can only speak for the Resistance. I'm not the leader of the place – I'm just trying to win it back for our rightful leaders. However, I know that King Kuei trusts me. I will accept a limit, but request that we re-negotiate the number. I will not settle for a figure that low. But like I said, I can't guarantee that the Earth King will abide by these terms."

"Very well. I am open to discussion. That concludes the Fire Nation's offers and demands for this temporary truce."

Toph began to lay out her country's demands.

"If you help us kick your little sister out of here, the Earth Kingdom rebellion will stop its raids along your coastline."

Zuko gave his approval.

"We won't attack any Fire Nation families who want to peacefully live out their lives in the Earth Kingdom."

"We are willing to discuss the release of several Fire Nation political prisoners we currently have in our custody."

Katara saw Zuko raise his good eyebrow. She wondered at this offer. She hadn't been aware that the Earth Kingdom resistance had Fire Nation political prisoners in its possession.

"In return, I was going to ask for Omashu, but you've already offered it. I do, however, want Gaoling. I was born there. It is my home. I will not negotiate this."

Zuko reluctantly nodded. Gaoling was a large, strategically placed city. It would be a great loss for the Fire Nation.

"Next, I want the Earth King released from Fire Nation custody and returned home. I realize you're not going to give us Ba Sing Se, so I won't waste my breath arguing for it."

Katara was surprised and relieved the rebel leader wasn't going to argue that point. She listened as Toph named some more territories she wanted free from the Fire Nation, and concluded her demands for the treaty.

The negotiations began in earnest. Toph flatly refused to limit the Earth Kingdom's army to any number below 200,000, arguing that the lands of the Earth Kingdom were vast and needed a large army. Zuko finally conceded. The discussion became heated when the release of various political prisoners was being negotiated. At one point, Katara was ready to uncork her water skins to intervene if a fight broke out.

In the end, Zuko agreed to release the Earth King into the custody of the rebel group, but he rescinded the number of political prisoners he had originally offered. Kuei would be the only prisoner released from the Fire Nation. Toph finally accepted, and Katara breathed a sigh of relief. Zuko asked for the release of several Fire Nation citizens the Earth Kingdom resistance had imprisoned. Toph had balked over the release of one of the regional governors, but had finally acquiesced. The rest was working out which of various territories would end up under whose control.

Tempers were raw and the sun was beginning to set by the time they finished, but in the end they had worked out the details. Of course, if their combined forces lost to Azula, the agreement wouldn't matter anyway. With these terms in place, both factions had extra incentive to win this fight. Of course, the main reason they were both fighting Azula was for mere survival. The newly-signed treaty ensured that the opposing nations would join together to defeat a common enemy.

Deep down, Katara knew this temporary treaty would not end the war. Unless something drastic happened, Zuko would continue with his conquest of the world. The treaty put the Earth Kingdom back on slightly more even footing with the Fire Nation however, and they would have a chance. And maybe the world would have a chance.

* * *

Zuko looked up as a messenger approached.

"My lord, the Lady Bei Fong is nearing the camp at full speed. The guards wish to know if they should let her pass."

_Something must have happened._

"Yes, let her pass."

His permission did not matter, because the girl came flying into camp on a wave of moving earth. The guards didn't matter much to her, because she easily encased them up to their heads in solid rock. This was the first time he had seen her demonstrate her skill as an earthbender. It was impressive.

She skidded to a halt in front of him, and Katara's footsteps pounded up on the ground next to him. She had apparently heard the commotion.

"We've got a problem," the earthbender stated.

Zuko began to worry. Toph had dispensed with the nicknames. He listened with full attention as she spoke.

"Can we go somewhere a little less…public? No guards. She can come," the girl finished, gesturing at Katara.

Zuko led the two women into his war tent. Several of his men were milling about, and he sent them on their way.

One of his men began to protest. "But my lord, if it pertains to the war-"

Zuko interrupted him, a ball of flame appearing in his hand. "Out! Now! Do not question me!" he yelled. The man's eyes widened in fear, and he scurried out of the tent.

Once Toph decided that everyone was out of earshot, she began to inform him what was going on.

"We are receiving several rumors that Azula has built a massive fleet. It appears she is preparing to mount an invasion," she said bluntly.

Zuko paled. "How massive?"

Toph took a deep breath. "One of our scouts saw the fleet this morning. It is hidden in a harbor a few miles south on the coastline. He reports an estimate of at least two thousand."

"How could she have built such a large fleet in so little time?" he asked, despair leaking into his voice.

"After the Fire Nation defeated Ba Sing Se, several remnants of the Earth Kingdom army and the Dai Li escaped. They knew the location of the naval fleet, and it is rumored that Long Feng himself took control and hid it. He must have gotten the entire fleet – the rebellion has been searching for it for some time now. Your sister must be working with Long Feng," she explained.

Zuko began to feel real fear rise in his chest at this new development. First, he was familiar with Long Feng. Before the takeover of Ba Sing Se, the man had essentially ruled the city, using Keui as his puppet. The former head of the Dai Li was ruthless. Zuko's own fleet was large enough to take on Azula's forces, but it would take his _entire _navy. At the moment, his navy was scattered around the ocean. It would take time to recall all his ships to the homeland. Time he didn't have.

Katara finally spoke. "So your scout knows the location of the fleet?" Toph nodded. "Zuko, I think we need to see for ourselves what we're up against."

"Why don't you and Sparky here go find the fleet and see if you can discover any weaknesses? I'll take my forces and create a diversion."

Zuko nodded his agreement. "We need to stop her before she sets sail," he said wearily. "Let's go. I'll have messenger hawks recall my navy."

* * *

Katara gained a small amount of satisfaction from the fact that she easily kept up with Zuko as he made his way through the forest. She had experience stealthily running through forests during her days of raiding Fire Nation supply trains. She was happy to find she hadn't lost her touch.

They made their way south, following the coastline as they went. According to Toph's scout, this forest would end at a steep cliff overlooking the harbor where the fleet was hidden. As they ran, Katara noticed more light was filtering through the forest, and she could hear the distant pounding of surf.

A few minutes later, she and Zuko reached the edge of the forest. They stepped of the trees and looked down the sheer drop into the harbor. Zuko looked over to her, and she met his gaze. The scout was correct. The fleet was massive. Azula must have all the resources of the former Earth Kingdom military at her disposal.

"What now?"

Katara blinked as his quiet voice cut through the air, barely discernable over the noise of the surf.

"We find a weakness," she answered. "Come on, let's find a way down."

He grabbed her arm as she began to walk along the cliff face.

"Wait, someone is coming," he hissed at her.

They started to move back to the trees, but they were too late. Katara's stomach dropped as Azula's mocking voice hit her ears.

"Zuzu! So good to see you again!" she said cheerily. Katara shuddered. The firebender continued to talk. "So, you're still consorting with the waterbender? My my, what would father think about you working with both waterbenders and earthbenders?"

In a split second, Katara had uncorked her water skins, and Zuko stood ready to throw fire. Worry wormed its way into Katara's mind when the other woman looked unconcerned. She snapped her fingers, and several figures melted out of the trees around her. They must be the legendary Dai Li warriors.

"Gold makes betrayal so easy. That little scout we found here this morning did his job well. He also told us where you were staying – not that it matters at this point," she said lazily.

Katara was alarmed to feel the ground lurch beneath her. Too late, she realized that she and Zuko stood at the edge of the cliff. And they were surrounded by skilled earthbenders.

Zuko jumped for her as the cliff gave way beneath them.

* * *

**Author's note: **Hahaha, evil cliffhanger!! There's a slight chance that next week's chapter will be posted on Thursday instead of Friday, since one of my friends is visiting me next weekend. No promises though :)


	8. Fall

**Author's note: **TGIF! Well, everyone, my friend postponed her visit until next weekend, so I'm posting at the usual time. Next week's _might_ be early.

Thanks again to all the reviewers: **AnnaAza****, ****darkpassion89****, ****hg-always****, ****Jumpingbeans480****, ****XxSparklesxxBrightlyxX****, ****Katey123****, ****secretsofadarkangel****, ****Calchexxis****, ****InItToWinIT****, ****BlackMagicWhiteMagic****, ****meggie-moo s****, ****GunboatDebater****, **and**temariXshikamaruluva**. You guys are super-awesome. With only 4 more reviews, I will be up to 100!

And now to resolve that literal cliffhanger…

* * *

**Chapter 7: Fall

* * *

**

"_When I let go of what I am, I become what I might be."_

-Lao Tzu (Chinese taoist Philosopher, founder of Taoism, 600 BC-531 BC)

* * *

Everything seemed to happen in slow motion; she heard Azula's mad laughter above them as they fell. Zuko held tight to her, and rocks pelted them as they fell. The sound of the air in her ears as they hurtled through the emptiness was deafening.

She realized they were nearing the water. _Water._ Instinctively, she bent the water up towards them to help break the fall. She moved her arms to bring a large column of water up to their falling bodies. Zuko saw the water rushing up to them; he held tight to her and angled his body so he would take the brunt of the impact.

The breath was knocked out of Katara's lungs when they hit the water. She heard an audible pop as one of her ribs snapped. She bent a bubble of water away from her head and quickly gasped some air.

_Zuko. Where is Zuko?_

She quickly scanned the water around her, and saw a figure limply drifting toward the bottom. She realized he must be unconscious. She fought against the pounding surf as she swam toward him. Praying to Tui and La that she would reach him before his body was smashed against the rocks, she shot towards him.

Her hands reached out and grabbed one of his arms. Even with waterbending, it took all her strength to pull him away from the rocks. She sank to the bottom of the harbor with him, and pushed the water away from them. She could only hear the sound of her own breathing in the small sphere of air.

_Zuko wasn't breathing._

It took all her concentration to keep the water surrounding them from crashing down into the empty space while pulling the water out of the young Fire Lord's lungs. Beads of sweat formed on her brow as she pulled a ribbon of water from his nose and mouth. She was rewarded with a sputtering cough.

He rolled onto his side and began to retch as he emptied the salt water from his stomach. His arm hung limply at his side; his shoulder had been dislocated. He coughed and gasped for a few more moments; the sounds echoed in the small space of air Katara had created for them on the sea floor.

When he finally caught his breath, he looked up. If the situation hadn't been so dire, Katara would have laughed at his reaction. His eyes nearly popped out of his head, and he jerked back as he realized they were on the sea floor. Sea creatures lazily swam by, seemingly unconcerned with the strange beings that had settled at the bottom of the harbor.

"I thought it would be best to stay down here a bit before we surfaced. She's probably waiting to see if we survived," she explained, her voice echoing in the small space.

Zuko just nodded numbly, and winced in pain as he realized his shoulder had been dislocated.

"I can reset your shoulder, but we'll have to wait until we get back on land. I can't hold the water back while concentrating on your shoulder," she said apologetically.

Her breath quickened in the stale air as his good hand reached out to cup her face. He gently ran his thumb over her salt-encrusted cheek. She struggled to keep the wall of water from wavering.

"Thank you," he said, his golden eyes meeting her gaze.

She looked away. "You're welcome," she said quietly. She wasn't quite ready to think about the fact that she had now saved the Fire Lord's life.

"We need to get out of here. We've been down here long enough that Azula probably thinks we're dead. Even so, we should probably surface away from here. If we can find a low enough point on the cliff, I can waterbend us back up. You'll need to lose the armor though. It's too heavy," she said tiredly. The effort of holding the water at bay was taking a toll on her.

Zuko removed the heaviest parts of his armor, struggling since one of his arms was useless. He bit his lip against the pain his shoulder caused him.

"Are you ready?" she asked him. He gave an affirmative. "I can use waterbending to help you, but you'll have to try to swim. Can you do it?" she asked worriedly.

"I will do what I must," he said with determination.

"Take a deep breath, NOW!" she instructed. She let go of her hold on the water, and they were once more at the mercy of the currents. She propelled both of their bodies through the water, trying to reach a point further along the cliff wall. Zuko valiantly stroked through the water using one arm. When her lungs were ready to burst, she boosted both her and Zuko to the surface.

They looked up worriedly, scanning the area for any sign of Azula. The cliff appeared to be abandoned. She deemed it low enough to waterbend both of them up. The effort of stilling the current around their bodies was rapidly exhausting her, but if she let go of her hold, they would be smashed against the rocks.

She looked over at Zuko. He was holding his own, but his face was more pale than usual. It was time to get out of the water.

"Hold onto me," she instructed. Wordlessly, he grasped her around the torso with his good arm. "Ready?" she asked.

"Yes," he answered simply.

With that, she gave one more monumental effort to get them out of the water. They rose up on a column of water. When they were level with the edge of the cliff, she bent the wave over the dry ground. They fell to the dirt in a dripping heap.

Katara dragged herself up off the ground. Ignoring the searing pain in her side from her broken rib, she turned to Zuko.

"Ready to reset your arm?" she asked.

He winced in pain. "As ready as I'll ever be," he replied.

"Want a stick to bite down on? This is going to hurt," she offered.

He gave her a weak smile. "I think it's best that I don't put anything flammable in my mouth right now," he said.

"Ah. Makes sense," she said nervously.

_Note to self: don't stand in front of him while resetting his arm._

She firmly grasped his limp arm. She had done this a few times before – some of her fellow warriors had dislocated various limbs during her time raiding the Fire Nation. As the resident healer, it had always fallen on her to help them.

She pulled, twisted, and _pop!_ The joint resettled itself in the socket. To his credit, Zuko didn't cry out. The only evidence of his pain was tendrils of smoke escaping from his nose. He worked his arm slowly to test it.

"Much better," he told her. Katara took a deep breath, and stabbing pain hit her in the side. She doubled over in pain. The adrenaline of their escape had worn off, and now the agonizing pain was hitting her full-force. Even with these injuries, Katara knew they had been lucky; their injuries could have been much worse.

Zuko looked at her with concern. "What's wrong? Are you alright?" he asked worriedly as he ran to her side.

"I'm fine. It's just a broken rib. I've had them before," she replied tersely. He backed off at her angry tone. Feeling guilty, she said softly, "I'm sorry, Zuko. I'll be fine though – really." With that, she gathered some ocean water that remained in a puddle on the ground and held it against her side. She couldn't completely mend broken bones, but she could dampen the pain.

Zuko paced back and forth. "What do we do now?" he asked agitatedly. "If Azula knew we were going to be there, then what about Toph's diversion? What if they've been captured? What about my men? She said the scout told her where we had been staying."

He paled as a sudden thought occurred to him. "What about the town? If she and her group were riding eel hounds, they could have been there and back by now..."

Katara met his worried gaze. "We need to get back. Hopefully we won't run into her on the way back," she said worriedly. "Are you recovered enough to run?" she asked.

The look on his face made her glad that she was no longer on the receiving end of his wrath. _This_ was why the world feared him. The man she saw before her would let no one stand in his way. Including his own sister. His eyes had narrowed into amber slits; his jaw was set and determined. The scent of fire filled her nostrils as some stray smoke emanated from his clenched fists. If Katara didn't know better, she would have almost pitied Azula in that moment.

"Let's go. Azula will pay for this," he said darkly.

* * *

Running on pure adrenaline, the two benders ran the few miles up the coastline back to the town. All the while, they were on the alert for any evidence of Azula's forces, but they didn't see anyone. The urgency grew when they saw smoke billowing in the distance. It was right about where the Earth Kingdom town that had harbored both Zuko and Toph's forces was situated.

They arrived at the gates of the town, gasping for breath. Horror laced their expressions as they surveyed the scene before them. Several buildings still burned. Bodies lay strewn about, either crushed with large rocks or burned beyond recognition.

Zuko felt pure fury run through him as his gaze landed on a small body crushed beneath a large boulder. Even as he ran to the figure, he knew who it was. The boy that had defied him. Li. A large sword lay just out of reach of the boy's hand; it sat useless in the dirt. The young teenager had been trying to protect his mother…who lay burned just a few yards away.

He sensed Katara move beside him. Her hand covered her mouth, and tears filled her cerulean eyes.

Zuko let loose a large plume of flame in frustration.

"Zuko, don't! What if they're still watching?" she cried.

"Then let them come! I will kill them all!" he yelled. His shoulders sagged in defeat. "Katara, how could she _do_ this? To everyone! The women! The _children!_" he shouted as he grasped her shoulders.

Her next words would haunt him for the remainder of his life.

"Zuko, you _have_ done this. Maybe not personally, but you have ordered attacks like this. It's not just the warriors that die, Zuko. You have exterminated people. Including my own," she said, unable to keep the bitterness out of her voice. She stepped away from him.

He started to protest, but the words died on his lips. He couldn't deny the charge. He had ordered raids such as this. He hadn't specifically ordered _everyone_ exterminated, but he might as well have.

Katara remained with her back toward him. Her fists were clenched at her side. He moved toward her to say something, _anything_, as way of apology, when he realized that someone was coming. By the sound of it, they were approaching quickly.

He grabbed the waterbender's wrist and dragged her into hiding behind a building.

When she looked at him furiously, he responded in a whisper, "Someone's coming."

Her eyes widened in understanding, and they waited and listened. They couldn't see much from their hiding place, and soon a clear voice cut across the distance.

"Sparky! Ice Queen! Come out, I know you're there. It's just me," Toph called.

Their shoulders sagged in relief when they realized it was the earthbender. They heard more noise as the rest of her battle group caught up with her.

Zuko and Katara stepped out of hiding to speak with Toph. The look on the young earthbender's face was furious.

"Her Royal Craziness knew we were coming! We arrived at their camp, and they were gone! So no diversion – sorry. Did you guys have any luck finding her fleet?" the rebel leader asked.

Zuko snorted. "Oh yes, we found her fleet," he answered.

Toph raised her eyebrows. "Okay, Sparky, what aren't you telling me?" she demanded, crossing her arms.

"Azula herself paid us a visit. She knew we were coming and where we would be. She appeared with her Dai Li agents when we reached the cliff face – she had them destroy the cliff beneath us. We're both still alive thanks to Katara," he answered, looking meaningfully at the waterbender while he spoke.

A sudden thought occurred to him. "I thought you could tell when people were lying. My sister said that the scout betrayed us – she bribed him with gold," he accused.

The earthbender's face became as hard as her element. "That's because I didn't hear it directly from the scout. He gave his message to one of my aides. As far as she knew, she was telling me the truth. From now on, I will ensure that I get any intelligence reports directly from the source," she said tightly.

Zuko looked over at Katara in concern. She hadn't said a word during the entire exchange. Her cerulean eyes continued to survey the carnage around them – carnage that Toph was just now beginning to "see".

"Zuko?"

He looked up in surprise. It was the earthbender who had spoken. She hadn't used a nickname.

"Yes?"

"I smell smoke. Things feel…out of place. They destroyed the town, didn't they?" she asked grimly.

The young Fire Lord could barely bring himself to answer. For the first time in his life, he was ashamed of his family and his country. Azula had done this, but _he_ was responsible. He had carried on the war; only now, when it had reared its ugly face directly in front of him, did he realize the suffering that had been placed on the world.

A strange thought entered his head. Perhaps Katara was right. Perhaps there would not be peace even if the Fire Nation controlled the entire world. There would always be uprisings, and the Fire Nation would always have to smother them. He forced himself to look at the body of the young boy who had defied him mere days before. He had been trying to protect his home and his family. And now the child was dead.

Zuko pushed the thoughts to the back of his mind. He would deal with them once Azula had been defeated. If his sister emerged victorious, then the world would truly be lost. She would suffocate the people of the world with her rule. He couldn't let that happen.

He blinked in surprise at a sudden realization. A few days ago, his main concern about Azula had been losing his throne to her. He wanted to remain in control; it was his birthright. He had been worried about his own people. He knew she wouldn't have their best interests at heart; she would use them for her own gain. Now, while he still had those concerns, he realized he was fighting for the good of the world.

A new resolve came over him.

"We need to travel back to the Fire Nation quickly. Her fleet was still loading supplies – we will have a head start of a few days. She will be lulled into a false sense of security, because she believes I am dead. I am sure she will figure out that I live very soon, but we should perpetrate rumors of my death. I have already recalled my fleet, but much of the navy is far from home. It will take time to gather my forces," he stated as he paced back and forth.

Toph looked up at him sharply. "Who do you mean by "we"?

"I _mean_ all of us," he responded pointedly.

Zuko watched the young earthbender cross her arms once more. She was about to protest.

"Wait a minute, your _highness._ I never agreed to cross the ocean to fight _your_ battle in _your_ homeland. We gave you our help, and your sister is leaving the Earth Kingdom. That means our deal has come to completion," she argued.

The Fire Lord made a conscious effort to dampen the anger that was rapidly rising in him. Mindless arguing would get him nowhere.

"I _believe_ our agreement stated that the terms of our temporary truce would not be brought to fruition unless Azula was defeated. She is not defeated yet," he said, a deadly calm in his voice.

Katara shifted beside him, and finally found her voice.

"Toph," she began, a note of pleading in her voice, "please, this is for the good of the world. Zuko cannot gather his entire military in time to face Azula. As it stands now, the Fire Nation cannot face Azula's entire army with success right now. Perhaps if there was more time…but time is not something we have. She will set sail within the next couple of days," she pointed out. Zuko admired her calm persuasion.

Still, the younger girl resisted. "Look, that's all fine and good, but this is _your_ problem. I need to take care of _my_ people. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go find survivors," she said angrily.

"Toph, wait!" Katara called before Zuko could formulate a response.

The girl paused in her march away from them, but did not turn around.

Katara spoke once more, and a hint of anger had crept into her voice. "This may not be your problem now, but it will be your problem soon if Azula stages a coup in the Fire Nation. She will not only conquer the Earth Kingdom, she will use and abuse its people! She will enslave you all! Toph, I have seen the madness in her eyes! If Azula rules the Fire Nation, there will _never_ be a chance for peace! The world will be led into ruin," she said vehemently.

Toph turned toward them, and crossed her arms in hostility once more. Various emotions seemed to flit across her face as she tried to determine the best course of action.

"And there's a chance for peace now? That's news to me! As far as I'm concerned, the Fire Nation has already enslaved the people of the Earth Kingdom. Why should it matter to us _which_ tyrant is in charge?" she asked, her voice rising with every word.

Katara looked at Zuko with worry etched on her tan face. The Fire Lord was sure she was worried both that Toph would not help them defeat Azula, and that he would lose his temper with the impertinent earthbender and attack her. He sighed. As much as the girl's disrespect bothered him, he knew her argument was valid.

The Earth Kingdom girl was not going to pledge her forces to defeat Azula. All would soon be lost. He reached deep down, and threw out an offer that he knew the Earth Kingdom girl would be unable to resist. The idea had been playing through his mind ever since his arrival in the Earth Kingdom. Katara had been the first to plant the idea of peace into his head. The decision was difficult. He would be giving up so much of what he had fought for for so long. He would not rule the other nations; they would rule themselves.

"If you join us in our efforts to defeat my sister and her army, the Fire Nation is willing to enter into peace talks with the Earth Kingdom."

Both women in his company looked at him with open-mouthed expressions.

"Zuko…?" Katara said with disbelief in her voice.

His offer gained the desired reaction.

The earthbender looked at him, for once at a loss for words.

"Well Sparky, in that case, I guess we'd have to consider it," she said hesitantly, as if she didn't quite believe him.

"Well, think about it for a while. For now, we need to rescue any survivors," he said.

For the next few hours, they worked to pull survivors of the attacks out of rubble. Zuko had never felt more useless. He could locate survivors, but more often than not, Toph and her earthbenders were required to remove the heavy rocks. Katara was busy healing the injured. When it became apparent he could do no more, he met with his senior leadership and began formulating a plan for the defense of the Fire Nation against Azula's invasion.

* * *

Later that evening, Zuko sat wearily in his tent. His shoulder was still sore from the attack that morning, and lifting rocks to rescue the townspeople hadn't helped much. The earthbender was supposed to meet him soon to give her final answer on offering the Earth Kingdom Resistance's forces. He found himself wishing for Katara's presence. The woman had the ability to infuriate him to no end, but lately, he found her presence to be calming. He knew she was busy healing the people of the village. He had tried to tell her she needed rest, but she had nearly bitten his head off when he suggested she take a break. He decided to leave her alone for the moment.

Finally, there was a stirring at the entrance to his tent. He heard his guard conversing with the owner of a familiar voice.

Toph. She was here with her answer then.

"Enter!" he called.

He found himself once again wondering at the girl's abilities as she strode into his tent with confidence. Her blindness didn't slow her down in the least. She knew his exact position in the room, and she fixed a glare on him. He found it amazing that she could glare at him when she couldn't even see him.

She didn't offer any pleasantries.

"Fine. You win. Before we help you, I want a signed document that says the Fire Nation will be willing to hold peace talks with the Earth Kingdom," she said.

Zuko allowed himself a small smile of satisfaction. Perhaps they would win this after all.

Later that night, Zuko returned to the town to locate Katara. She hadn't yet returned, and he grew worried. He entered the hospital ward, and found her sound asleep from exhaustion. A bowl of bloody water was at her side, and a patient slept peacefully in the bed in front of the waterbender, the accelerated healing process having taken a toll on them both.

Katara's head snapped up, and she looked around in panic for a moment.

He leaned down and whispered to her. "He's doing fine, Katara. He's asleep. Come back to camp with me. It looks like you've healed them all."

She nodded numbly at him; her eyes were still clouded over with sleep. Zuko scooped the exhausted waterbender into his arms and carried her out of the stuffy building. The clear night air hit them, and Katara became more aware. He felt her struggle a bit in his arms.

"Just sleep," he whispered down to her. "I'll carry you. It's not far."

He was immensely relieved when she didn't fight him. He felt contentment wash over him when she rested her head on his shoulders and closed her eyes.

* * *

The next day was a blur as the combined forces made preparations to depart for the Fire Nation. Time was of the essence – Azula's fleet was only days from departing. It was imperative that they get a head start.

Katara had experience in organizing people and supplies, so she settled into a role of assigning warriors and supplies to individual ships. Zuko's fleet was to depart that evening. Katara, Toph, and some of Zuko and Toph's best warriors would be joining the Fire Lord on his flagship. His ship was the fastest in his fleet, and they would sail with all haste to the Fire Nation capital. The rest of his fleet would be close behind him.

Messenger hawks had been sent on their way, and the rest of Zuko's navy would soon be on the way back to the Fire Nation. He had also sent messenger hawks to the Fire Council in the capital, and they had been instructed to begin making preparations for a large invasion.

Finally, near sunset, all was prepared. She followed Zuko up the ramp into his flagship. She grimaced in distaste at entering the metal vessel once more. It was difficult to _feel_ the water through the hull. She still missed the wooden ships of her people. She reflected on how her circumstances had changed from the last time she had boarded Zuko's ship. The last time she had been led onboard this ship, it had been as a prisoner. Now, she entered it willingly as a warrior. Her life had certainly taken a strange turn.

She stared as his straight and muscular back as he led her through the passageways of the ship. He had instructed his warriors to show the earthbenders to their cabins, and now she was alone with him. The last time they had been alone was their foray into the forest to discover Azula's fleet. So much had happened since then.

Wordlessly, he took her hand, and she reveled in the warmth that emanated from him. He led her up onto the deck of the ship, and she felt the ship shudder beneath her as the furnaces roared to life. She looked up at his face, and he was wearing a look of grim satisfaction as he watched the rest of his fleet begin to depart from the port.

She settled into his arms as the ship gathered speed across the waves. It was nearly sunset; this was their time. They had come to appreciate the time of day when the sun and the moon shared the heavens. Together they watched the sun sink below the horizon, and stayed until the moon was high in the sky.


	9. Preparations

**Disclaimer**: _Avatar: The Last Airbender_ is the creation of Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko, and is owned by Nickelodeon.

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**Author's note: **Guess what? Early update! Next week's update will still be on Friday as usual though.

Thanks again to all the reviewers: **darkpassion89****, ****XxSparklesxxBrightlyxX****, ****AnnaAza****, ****Jumpingbeans480****, ****Cupcakee****, ****Katey123****, ****hg-always****, ****secretsofadarkangel****, ****temariXshikamaruluva****, ****meggie-moo s****, ****Miss3y****,** and **Thegoldenlock****. **Yay! I've reached over 100 reviews!**  
**

And here we go!

* * *

**Chapter 8: Preparations**

* * *

_After my dreaming  
I woke with this fear  
What am I leaving  
When I'm done here_

_So if you're asking me  
I want you to know_

_When my time comes  
Forget the wrong that I've done  
Help me leave behind some  
Reasons to be missed_

_And don't resent me  
And when you're feeling empty  
Keep me in your memory_

_Leave out all the rest  
Leave out all the rest_

_Leave Out All the Rest, _Linkin Park**

* * *

**

Katara stood quietly in Zuko's arms as the ship cut swiftly through the ocean. The stood on the bow of the ship, taking comfort in one another as they were each lost in their own thoughts. Katara felt mild disappointment wash through her as Zuko shifted behind her. She extricated herself from his arms and turned to face him.

She studied his face for a moment. The wind had caused a few strands of his raven-black hair to escape from his topknot. The moonlight reflected off the imperfect skin of his scar. It was funny – she no longer noticed his scar, and yet she could not picture him without it. The blemish was a mark both of bravery and of shame. It was a part of who he was.

He seemed at odds with himself at the moment, as if he were trying to decide what to say to her. Unsure of what he wanted to say, she gave him a look of gentle encouragement.

"What is it, Zuko?" she asked.

He sighed and looked out over the ocean.

"Katara, I need to ask something of you," he began. "One of the messages I sent instructed my military leaders to return the Water Tribe prisoners to the capital."

Katara furrowed her eyebrows in concern. "Why?" she asked, and she backed away from him as a sudden horrifying thought occurred to her. "You're not going to put them on the front lines as bait, are you?" she said accusingly.

He put his arms up in a placating gesture. "No! No, of course not. I wanted to ask you if you would be willing to speak with them. I would like for them to join our forces willingly," he explained.

Katara felt her mind race. "Zuko, they will never trust me again! You saw what happened at the North Pole! I can't possibly persuade them to do that. They will think it is a trick."

She looked at him furiously. "It's _not_ a trick, is it?" she added.

She watched as the Fire Lord seemed to deflate before her. He spoke once more. "I suppose it's my own fault that you would think that of me. Certainly, in the past, it's a tactic I would have taken. No, Katara. It's not a trick. It's a genuine offer. They will be free from prison if they join in the fight against Azula. Having waterbenders on our side would offer a distinct advantage against my sister, especially since she will be invading by sea."

The waterbender was pensive for a moment. The Water Tribe prisoners could be free if they joined the battle? It would be a tempting offer for them. How could they ensure that they would not desert the battle at a crucial point? How could she possibly convince them that the offer was genuine? By the Spirits, they thought she had betrayed them all to the Fire Lord!

"I don't think that they will believe anything I offer," she stated sadly. "And when they are free, where will they go? Like me, they have no home left," she said softly.

He sighed again, and his breath lightly caressed her face.

"I have been thinking about extending the same offer to the Water Tribe as I have offered to the Earth Kingdom. If they help my forces defeat Azula, I will enter into peace talks with them," he said with resolve.

Katara's mind swam with this development. Peace? He was offering an end to the war? He was offering _freedom?_

She felt a slow smile spreading across her face. "I think they will be much more open to fighting for your rule if that offer is on the table," she said. "But what about our home? It's the beginning of winter, and now there are no stores of food. No shelter…"

Zuko cut her off. "I believe I can arrange a refugee camp in the Fire Nation until spring comes and your people can migrate back home."

She looked at him quizzically. "Zuko, what brought this on? I know you are worried about Azula's invasion, and need outside help, but I don't think you would have offered this even a month ago," she said with wonderment in her voice.

The Fire Lord was quiet for a moment. "It was _you_, Katara. You showed me what the war was doing to the world. You showed me that people of other nations are just as strong as the people of the Fire Nation. Agni help me, Katara, I love you. I can't continue on the path my forefathers set for me and love you at the same time," he said vehemently.

Katara felt herself fly into his strong arms as she enveloped him in an embrace. Tears streamed down her face, and she found that she didn't care. He leaned his face down to hers, and she felt her lips being covered with his in a passionate kiss. His lips were warm on hers. He pulled her closer, and Katara felt his tongue begin to explore her mouth. She returned the kiss with equal fervor.

When they broke apart, she was amused to see some of Zuko's firebenders staring at their monarch with open mouths. A little laugh escaped her lips.

"What is it?" Zuko asked.

"Don't turn around, but I think we've attracted the attention of some of your warriors. I guess they came on deck when we weren't looking," she told him.

Zuko gave a menacing smile. "Let them look. They won't dare question me," he said.

The Fire Lord turned around and glared at his firebenders dangerously. The men bowed quickly and fled below deck.

Katara laughed. "I suppose that look is good for something. I certainly never liked being on the receiving end of it," she said lightly.

Shame came over Zuko's face as he was reminded of his past treatment of her.

"Katara-" he began.

She was immediately sorry for bringing it up. "It's okay, Zuko. You did the right thing in the end. That's all that matters to me now," she said quietly.

He looked at her uncertainly.

"Katara, I need to ask you one more thing," he said.

Katara looked at him curiously.

"When this is all over, I wanted to ask you to stay by my side. I know…I know that you wish to return to your home, and if that is what you want, then I'll accept that. But…you would be a valuable asset in the peace negotiations," he said.

The waterbender felt her heart fall at his last statement, and disappointment clouded her face.

"But in addition, I don't think I can be happy without you, peasant. I would like you to remain with me for more…personal reasons as well," he said.

Katara's heart once more rose to the proper place in her chest, and she gave him an answer.

"Well, I suppose I can put up with your pretentious royal ways if you can stand having a waterbending peasant like me around," she said with a smile.

"I love you, Zuko," she added.

"I love you too, waterbender," he said as he once more pulled her into an embrace. They kissed under the moonlight as the ship carried them closer to the Fire Nation and their destinies.

* * *

The next day, Katara and Toph were the first to arrive in the ship's war room for a strategy meeting. Katara walked over to the window, mindful of the awkward silence between herself and the Earth Kingdom girl.

Toph's bright voice finally interrupted the quiet.

"There's something going on between you and Sparky, isn't there? Your hearts beat about a million times per minute when you're around each other," she said with a smirk.

Katara floundered for an answer. She wasn't quite used to the earthbender's directness.

"I-I don't know what you're talking about. We just-I'm helping to defeat his sister, and then-" she was cut off when Toph interrupted her.

"Can it, sweetness. I can tell when you're lying, remember?" she said, the smile on her face growing.

Katara sighed. "Fine then. Yes. There is something between us," she admitted.

The earthbender's answer surprised her.

"You're good for him, sweetness. And he's good for you. You complement each other. Hang on to what you've got. It's been good for the world too," she said. She said nothing more and settled herself into a chair, and Katara was left wondering at her words.

Zuko entered the room a moment later, followed by his military aides. Toph's earthbending leaders entered shortly thereafter. Katara felt a vague sense of underlying hostility between the earthbenders and firebenders, but it was understandable after one hundred years of war and prejudice. She was happy that they seemed to set aside their differences to fight a common enemy.

Everyone quieted as the Fire Lord began to speak.

"Thank you – all of you – for being here. We stand united against a common enemy, and through it all, the world may yet find peace. Today, we need to come up with a battle plan against my sister's invasion. My military council in the Fire Nation is also planning as we speak. Hopefully, in this union of minds, we can come up with a plan that will leave our forces victorious," he addressed the small group.

Katara smiled at his speech. She looked around the room and saw everyone nodding in agreement.

Toph spoke next. "Can you describe the layout of your city? I need some ideas on where to position my earthbenders. Obviously we won't do much good for the naval aspect of the battle, but we can defend the city if the battle reaches land," she stated.

Zuko gave her a basic description of the city, and their next few hours were filled with planning the defense of the Fire Nation capital. In the end, a plan was devised that all parties were satisfied with.

* * *

One week later, Katara and Zuko once more stood on the deck of the ship as the Gates of Azulon came into view. The great dragon statues guarding the port of the Fire Nation capital were indeed intimidating. Zuko had informed her that any who dared cross the gates without permission would encounter great flaming nets. This was generally effective against non-firebenders, but Azula would be able to douse the flames. Katara shuddered. The woman was a powerful firebender.

Gongs sounded as the Fire Lord's flagship entered the harbor. The voyage had gone quickly. As much as Katara despised Zuko's metal ships, she had to admit they were fast. Azula's fleet of Earth Kingdom ships would not be able to travel so fast. Katara hoped that meant that more of Zuko's naval forces would beat his sister to the Fire Nation.

The ship pulled up to the dock, and Katara looked uncertainly at the throngs of people below them. This was vastly different from her first arrival to this city. She couldn't quite put the memories of angry faces and rotten fruit out of her head.

Zuko leaned down and spoke into her ear. "Don't worry. I've sent for a palanquin. You won't have to walk through them this time. Besides, you are now under my protection. No one will dare harm you," he said, his eyes narrowing.

Riding in the palanquin was a new experience for her. The surprised glances from the Royal Guard didn't pass her notice, and Zuko explained that it was highly irregular for anyone else to travel in the Fire Lord's palanquin.

"Maybe I should have traveled with Toph," Katara said uncertainly.

Her stomach fluttered unexpectedly at his answer.

"Don't worry. They might as well get used to seeing us together," he said with a small smile.

They arrived at the great marble steps to the main entrance to the palace, and Katara felt an eerie sense of déjà vu as she set foot on the brilliant marble steps. Her mind flashed back to a time when she was bound and chained, and dragged up the stone stairs by the very man who accompanied her now. She wondered at the change that had occurred in him.

He took her hand and led her up the steps into the palace. She stood quietly next to him as he instructed some servants to prepare all of the rooms in the guest wing of the palace. Toph and her entourage would need a place to stay, and were now honored guests of the palace. He instructed another servant to prepare another room in the family wing.

The servant scurried off, and Zuko turned to her. "I want you to stay in the family wing. I would prefer if you remained close to me," he explained.

She nodded in surprise. She hadn't even thought of where she would stay…she half-expected that she would be led down to her former cell.

"Follow me," Zuko instructed. Trailing after him, she looked around at the Fire Nation palace with new eyes. It was oddly familiar, and yet it seemed so different. The last time she had been here, she had been a prisoner. Chains had shackled her, and she had been confined to a dank, dark room in the bowels of the palace. Moreover, she and the Fire Lord had been enemies.

As they approached the family wing, Katara almost laughed at the changes that had taken place. She had certainly moved up in the world…from a prison cell to a suite in the family wing of the Fire Nation Royal Palace. Once away from prying eyes, Zuko took her hand in his. He seemed to sense her unease, and he squeezed her hand in reassurance.

He pushed open a large set of double doors, and a servant had just finished placing fresh linens on the bed. The heavy velvet curtains had been recently opened, and sunshine from the bright afternoon filled the room.

As soon as the Fire Lord entered the room, the servant bowed deeply.

"Is the room satisfactory, my lord?" the servant asked in a quavering voice.

"Yes, you are dismissed," Zuko said to the young woman.

Katara looked at her surroundings in wonderment, and Zuko led her out onto the wide balcony. It overlooked a private courtyard – which she promptly realized was the same place that Zuko had taken her to waterbend under the moonlight so long ago.

"Do you like it?" Zuko asked.

She laughed. "Well, it's certainly a vast improvement over my last room. Although, my cell was rather cozy. I think I might prefer it to this huge space," she finished with a serious look on her face.

Zuko's mouth nearly fell open, but when he saw the teasing expression on her face, he allowed a snort of laughter to escape his lips.

"If you truly prefer your old cell, I'm sure I can arrange-" he was cut off as she lightly punched him in the shoulder.

"No, the servants put all this work into making this room livable. I wouldn't want it to be all for nothing," she said lightly.

He gathered her into his arms as they shared a quiet moment overlooking the courtyard. The cherry trees rustled in the slight breeze. It was autumn, and Katara missed the pink carpet of blossoms that had been present in the spring. Despite the lack of delicate color, the gardens were still calming. In a few days, the peaceful air would most likely be filled with the sounds of battle.

"Katara, are you ready to speak with your people about my proposal?" he asked, seriousness in his voice.

Her stomach dropped in dread. What would her people think of her? They wouldn't possibly believe her.

"Where can I speak to them? I will not enter their cells as a free woman while they languish in prison. Do you know if Pakku is here?" she asked.

"Yes, he is here. I can arrange to have your old master delivered to a conference room. Do you wish to speak to him alone?" he inquired.

"Yes," she answered. "That way I can gauge his reaction. He is one of the senior members of the Ruling Council, and therefore holds a lot of influence. If I can convince him to join forces, then we may have success at convincing the rest of my people to join the fight."

"Very well. Make yourself comfortable. I ordered some clothing for you – it should be in the chest by the bed. I will come later to bring you to the dining room for dinner later. We will be having a formal dinner with my council, some of my nobles, and Toph and her earthbenders," he said wearily. "I can't imagine it will go smoothly. I was hoping you could use some of your peacekeeping skills," he said with hope in his voice.

Katara felt herself go pale. It was going to be a long night. "I'll do my best," she said with a weak smile.

He left the room, and Katara sat alone in the vast room. Her racing thoughts kept her busy until Zuko came to collect her for dinner.

* * *

"My lord, with all due respect, what are _they_ doing here?" one of Zuko's pretentious nobles asked. Dinner was not going well. Toph had bristled at the treatment she and her earthbenders were receiving, but had behaved herself save for some sarcastic responses. His nobles were making disrespectful comments in the way that only nobility could, and his council was ready to explode at the notion of fighting alongside earthbenders. The Fire Lord didn't even want to think about how they would react if Katara was successful at recruiting the Water Tribe to their cause.

He sighed. One hundred years of fighting and prejudice would not be undone during the course of one meal. He had hoped the various parties could at least act civil to one another. Katara was doing her level best to placate both sides. He heard her voice cut above a small argument that had broken out.

"We _must_ work together. We are united against a common enemy – an enemy who will win if we all cannot learn to set aside our differences! This battle-" she was abruptly cut off by one of Zuko's noblemen.

"Since when does a barbaric water _peasant_ presume to tell Fire Nation _nobility_ how to behave?" the heavyset noble accused her, fury lining his face. He jammed a finger in her direction, and his ruddy cheeks gathered more color as his anger grew. He leaned across the table toward her.

The waterbender took a deep breath to calm herself. "I have been invited here to-"

"You will learn your place, girl!"

A sharp crack filled the room. The nobleman had slapped Katara across the cheek. A deadly quiet filled the room. Zuko noticed that Katara refrained from using the various water sources in the room to defend herself. He would not show such restraint. Fury filled him. He stood up, and filled both of his palms with fire.

His nobleman finally noticed, and the outraged look on his face was replaced with one of fear.

Zuko spoke with deadly calm.

"You dare to strike one of the guests that _I_ have invited to _my_ table?" he asked threateningly.

He didn't wait for the man to answer.

"You disrespected my guest, and therefore you have disrespected me. Consider yourself stripped of your title, your lands, and your gold. You will live in shame for the remainder of your life. Get out of my sight!" he commanded, the flame in his palms flaring as he gestured violently at the door.

The man cowered before Zuko and fled the room. The Fire Lord extinguished his flame and wearily sat down in his seat. No, this was not going well at all.

He addressed the group. "Does anyone else wish to join him?" he asked, his voice low. A line of raven-haired heads shook "no" in response.

"Good. These are my honored guests, and they will be treated as such. They have pledged to help defend our city. I will not have them treated with disrespect," he stated.

The group continued eating, and hesitant conversation broke out. Halfway through the meal, Zuko caught Katara's gaze, and he was rewarded with a quick smile.

Perhaps things would work out after all.

* * *

Later that evening, Zuko led Katara to a small meeting room. She felt as if her heart would pound out of her chest. This was the first time she would see Pakku since the disastrous day at the North Pole. She had no idea what his reaction would be.

When she entered the room, the gray-haired man had his back to her.

"Pakku?" she asked hesitantly.

"Katara?" he responded in surprise as he whipped around. "You…you are well," he said, still in shock at seeing his former student.

Katara felt relief flood through her as she took in his appearance. He seemed to be well-fed and healthy, if not a bit paler than usual.

"How have they been treating you, Master Pakku?" she inquired. She wanted to know if Zuko had remained true to his promise of humane treatment.

Her waterbending master's white brow furrowed in confusion. "Very well, actually. We have been well-fed, and they have not mistreated us. Very different than what I was expecting, I must say," he answered.

His expression hardened slightly as he seemed to remember the circumstances of their parting. "What are you doing here, Katara?" he asked.

She felt sadness wash through her at the harshness of his voice.

"I-I will explain in a moment. But first…I wanted to make sure you knew something. I know you think I betrayed our people," she said, her voice breaking. "Master Pakku, I would _never_ have betrayed my people. Zuko had me followed. That's how we were found. I did not consciously betray the Water Tribe," she said with conviction.

Her former master started to speak, but she cut him off.

"You need to know something else. While I would never betray our people to him, I _love_ Zuko. And he loves me," she said in a rush.

Pakku seemed to wilt at this news. "I had hoped that it was all a misunderstanding," he said sadly.

She plunged on. "Now, you wanted to know why I am here. Azula, Zuko's sister, escaped the Fire Nation and fled to the Earth Kingdom. Apparently the Dai Li pledged their loyalty to her during the Fire Nation's takeover of Ba Sing Se. She has managed to build a vast army in a short amount of time. She has nearly the entire Earth's Kingdom's former military under her command, and she has been traveling from village to village collecting soldiers. She has promised them freedom if they help to seat her on the Fire Nation throne – which I'm sure is one of her carefully crafted lies."

Pakku looked at her quizzically. "Yes, we had heard such rumors before the invasion of the North Pole. I don't see what that has to do with the Water Tribe," he responded, confusion in his voice.

"The Fire Lord needs a large enough defensive force to ensure his victory against Azula. He has an offer for all Water Tribe prisoners," she said, pausing to observe Pakku's reaction.

The elder's eyes narrowed. "And what would that offer be?" he asked coldly.

Katara took a deep breath in order to calm herself. "The first part of his offer is this: any Water Tribe warrior who pledges to fight alongside Zuko's military against Azula's forces will be granted freedom."

Pakku's eyes flashed at her, and she saw true anger fill his face.

"Why would any member of the Water Tribe pledge to fight alongside _him_? He has caused us nothing but pain and misery! He and his wretched forefathers have enslaved the world! I would rot in prison a hundred times over before pledging to fight for his cause!"

"Master Pakku-"

"No, Katara! Listen to me! You should feel as I do. His family and nation _killed_ your family! They exterminated the Southern Water Tribe – your heritage! Did your family mean so little to you that you would fall in _love_ with the very man who wishes to rid the world of us?"

Katara looked up at her former master through tear-filled eyes. "Do you truly know so little about me? You have _no_ idea what I went through following the death of my family. I will never forgive the Fire Nation for their deaths! Circumstances are changing though, Pakku, and I will work for peace. If we shut our minds to peace when it is offered to us, then we are no better than they are!" she yelled.

Pakku stared at her, unable to formulate a response. She took the opportunity to continue speaking.

"You have never met Azula. You don't know what she is capable of. You thought the world was bad under Zuko's rule – well, you haven't seen anything yet. She will enslave the world. She cares nothing for humanity. The Earth Kingdom resistance was so worried about her growing power that _they_ initiated contact with Zuko for his help."

She watched her old master numbly sit down in a chair. The disciplined man betrayed no feelings, but he could not hide the fear in his eyes.

"Now let me tell you about the second part of the Fire Lord's offer. In order to convince the Earth Kingdom resistance to travel to the Fire Nation to fight alongside him, he has offered to enter into peace talks with the Earth Kingdom if he remains on the throne when this battle is over. He is prepared to extend the same offer to the Water Tribe. _Peace_, Pakku. He is offering peace and _freedom_. It is everything we have ever wished for, but Zuko must remain on the Fire Nation throne."

Pakku looked at her uncertainly. "How can we possibly know that this is not all an elaborate lie? I know you have feelings for this man, but how can we be assured that he will not simply imprison us all once the battle is over?"

"The only assurance I can offer now is a signed document from the Fire Lord stating the agreement between himself and the Water Tribe," she said. After a slight hesitation, she continued, "I can also offer my personal assurance. I believe him, Pakku. I know you don't believe me, but he's changed. I'm not sure how it happened, but he is a different man from the one the world knew only a short time ago."

Pakku ignored her reassurance. "I will speak with the rest of the Ruling Council regarding the Fire Lord's request. That is, if we are released from our prison cells to hold a meeting," he said with bitterness in his voice.

"Master Pakku, would you like to speak with the Fire Lord first?" she offered.

His face remained hard, but he accepted her offer. "Very well. I will let the Fire Nation scum argue his case."

Katara poked her head outside the room. Zuko had been waiting impatiently outside the door. He entered the room, and Katara was certain that her waterbending master would fall over from shock when the Fire Lord bowed to him.

"Master Pakku," he addressed the elder man, "I know Katara has already presented the Fire Nation's offer to you. I also understand your hesitancy in accepting such an agreement, considering the past history between our two nations, especially when the lives of your own warriors will be at risk."

Katara was relieved when Pakku let the Fire Lord continue in his speech.

"The world has reached a turning point. My sister will be attempting to take my throne within days, and I need your help in defeating her. I realize it may seem rather convenient timing to offer peace to you at this point in exchange for your help, but during my recent travels, the need for peace has made itself evident to me. The war is hurting the entire world. Katara has helped me to realize that," he said, looking pointedly at the waterbender.

"Contrary to your beliefs, I am an honorable man. I will not go back on my word," he said, and held out a scroll to the wizened old man. "However, in addition, here is a preliminary peace agreement. Your Ruling Council will be released from prison and offered a place to discuss this document. I will require an answer by morning. Time is an element we do not have," he finished.

Katara watched with hope as Pakku's expression softened. Perhaps they were getting through to him.

"Master Pakku," the firebender added, "I want you to know that Katara never betrayed you. She remained loyal to her people throughout the duration of her imprisonment. My elite tracking team followed her back to the North Pole. She never messaged me with your location," he said curtly.

"I will send the rest of your Ruling Council to this room shortly, where you may hold your discussion," he said. Katara followed behind him as he left the room, leaving a somewhat bewildered Master Pakku alone with his thoughts.

* * *

The next morning, a messenger delivered the Water Tribe council's decision to the Fire Lord. They would fight alongside him.


	10. Collision

**Disclaimer**: _Avatar: The Last Airbender_ is the creation of Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko, and is owned by Nickelodeon.

* * *

**Author's note: **The end is near!

Sorry I didn't get around to individually replying to most of your reviews. I had an awful week – I lost a beloved pet, so I haven't been terribly motivated to do much of anything. As always though, I am thankful for each and every one of my reviewers: **AnnaAza****, ****Thegoldenlock****, ****hg-always****, ****Katey123****, ****darkpassion89****, ****storm2011****, ****InItToWinIT****, ****XxSparklesxxBrightlyxX****, ****secretsofadarkangel**** , ****meggie-moo s**** , ****TashaLyn13**** , **and **temariXshikamaruluva****. **You guys are the best – I heart you!

And now what you've all been waiting for. I sincerely hope you enjoy.

* * *

**Chapter 9: Collision

* * *

**

"_The art of war teaches us to rely not on the likelihood of the enemy's not coming, but on our own readiness to receive him; not on the chance of his not attacking, but rather on the fact that we have made our position unassailable.__"_

-Sun Tzu (Chinese General and Author, b.500 BC)

* * *

In a harbor on the western shoreline of the Earth Kingdom, a fleet was gathered that rivaled the size of the entire Fire Navy. Azula smiled to herself in satisfaction as she surveyed the sight before her. She had convinced the weak-minded fools to fight for her. They _believed_ in her. Of course, they believed in the cause of freedom as well. Little did they know that once she sat on the Fire Throne, she would enslave their pathetic race.

She was certain that given the choice between joining her elite army and being sent to work camps in the Earth Kingdom, they would choose to serve her. Once she was seated on the throne of her homeland, she would combine her earthbender forces with the Fire Nation military, and she would be unstoppable. There would be fools that would remain loyal to Zuko and would never serve her, but she was confident that most would choose a life of serving her rather than a death loyal to Zuko.

All was in place. She knew that much of the Fire Navy was still spread out across the ocean. The Fire Princess had been rather perturbed when she heard rumors of her brother's survival following his unfortunate accident at the cliff. Zuzu was rather stubborn, and she figured it would take more than a fall off a cliff to kill him. Of course, she was sure the little waterbending wench had something to do with it. She and her men had watched the waves for any sign of life for several minutes. No one could possibly survive that long under water…unless accompanied by a waterbender. She cursed herself for _that_ oversight. No matter, she would have the satisfaction of killing him herself in a few days. Once her brother was dead, she could take the throne easily. She was, after all, next in line for the throne.

A soldier finally brought word to her that the fleet was ready to sail.

She coolly gave the order to depart, and stared across the water to the Fire Nation.

_Soon it will all be mine.

* * *

_

Katara stood with Toph and Zuko just outside of the Fire Lord's war room.

"Zuko, are you sure about this?" she inquired. After the near-disastrous state dinner, she wasn't exactly confident about working with pompous Fire Nation generals.

"Yes. You two are a crucial part of the battle plan, and my generals need to get used to working alongside you. These men are completely loyal to me, and will follow my orders," he said with conviction.

Toph stood casually off to the side, seemingly unconcerned about entering the war room.

Katara followed Zuko through the large ceremonial doors. She looked around the room; it was lit by dozens of flickering sconces. The thought had occurred to her that this was the very room where Zuko's father had given him the distinctive scar on his face. She pushed the thought aside and concentrated on the task before her.

Zuko had managed to recall most of his generals in time for the battle. General Kuro was the only one she had previously met. He was a well-muscled, intimidating man who had been the overseer of Zuko's military in the Earth Kingdom. He had traveled back to the Fire Nation with them on Zuko's flagship.

He was the only one who looked upon her and Toph without surprise. The others stared at the two women, attempting to rein in their shocked expressions. Suspicion laced some of their gazes, but most of the faces showed overwhelming curiosity.

"Good afternoon, gentlemen," Zuko began. "As you can see, we have guests today. Katara of the Southern Water Tribe, and Toph Bei Fong of the Earth Kingdom Resistance will be joining our planning session today. You all should have received missives about the impending invasion. The Water Tribe and Earth Kingdom forces have joined in our fight against Azula."

One of the generals, a stout man with graying sideburns, was the first to speak.

"My lord, with all due respect, is this not the waterbender that you took prisoner nearly a year ago? The same one that the Water Tribe invaded our city for?"

"She is one and the same, General Arata. Much has happened since then. She has pledged herself to defending our city. If not for her, I would not stand before you now. She saved my life recently," he explained to the men.

Several pairs of golden eyes opened wide in surprise. They seemed to look upon her with a new respect as the men began to murmur among themselves.

General Kuro stood and addressed the men. "I will vouch for this woman as well. I was at our camp the day Fire Lord Zuko was attacked. He recounted the story to me. She is a capable warrior, and will be a valuable asset in the coming invasion."

Katara looked at the man in surprise at the unexpected praise. A ghost of a smile came to his stern face, and he gave her a small nod.

A younger man turned his attention to Toph. "What about the earthbender? How can we be certain of her loyalties?"

Katara mentally cringed as Toph answered in typical Toph fashion.

"Look here, flame boy, if I say I'll fight with you, then I'll fight with you. Believe me, I want Princess Psycho to take over just as much as you do. I'm loyal to the Earth Kingdom, and in this case, that means I'll fight with you," she said, jamming a finger in his direction.

She noticed Zuko tense, ready to intervene if a fight broke out, but to everyone's surprise, the young general barked out a laugh.

"I like you, Miss Bei Fong. Azula should be cowering in fear at the prospect of facing you. I can see why the Earth Kingdom Resistance has been such a thorn in our side," he admitted.

"Cut all this 'Miss Bei Fong' stuff. My name is Toph. Nothing fancy," the young earthbender chastised. Despite all her bluster, Katara could tell the girl was pleased with the general's assessment.

The waterbender was inordinately pleased. She should have trusted Zuko in this instance. He had told her that his generals were hand-picked, loyal to him and only him. They were an intelligent group of men. They were the one group he wasn't worried about convincing – which was fortunate, since Zuko certainly needed the support of his military commanders in this instance. The rest of his people…well, that was a different story.

Once the introductions were finished, the small group of military minds began going over the plans to defend the capital city. Zuko proposed the plan that had been discussed on his flagship on the way back to the Fire Nation. His generals only requested a few changes, all of which were acceptable to Toph and Katara.

After the meeting was adjourned, the two women would relate the plan to their respective forces. The Water Tribe warriors would lie in wait in various groups around the harbor. Zuko had proposed that Azula's flagship be allowed entrance through the Gates of Azulon. If they raised the gates before she passed, the powerful firebender would render them useless. They would raise them after her ship passed, where she would then be attacked by the Water Tribe forces. The gates would then serve as a barrier to the rest of her fleet. There were several waterbenders among the Water Tribe forces, as well as many warriors skilled with spear, sword, and boomerang. They hoped that a Water Tribe attack would catch Azula off guard. She could not possibly know of the new peace treaty between the two nations.

Toph's earthbenders would be lying in wait when and if Azula's ships made it to shore. They would remain hidden until Azula's forces disembarked from their ships. Azula would have earthbenders with her as well, so having Toph's forces would even the odds a bit.

Throughout it all, Zuko's military would be providing support. The warships he had managed to recall would form a blockade outside the harbor, although Azula would certainly run the blockade with her extensive fleet. His soldiers would make up the bulk of the defensive force. The battle would be fierce, and she and Zuko would be in the thick of it.

* * *

Zuko stood behind the curtain, ready to make his grand entrance onto the balcony to speak to his people. For the moment, Katara stood next to him, and she gave him a curious glance as he paced nervously. The Fire Lord had made many a speech on this very balcony, and it struck Katara as odd that he was uneasy.

She tried to reassure him. "It will be fine, Zuko. You've done this before," she gently reminded him.

He stopped mid-step and swiftly turned to face her. "You don't understand. Every time I've gone out there to speak to my people, I've been able to assure them of the Fire Nation's victory. There was always good news to report. Now we are on the verge of a great battle within the city walls, and I am forced to admit we can't win on our own. I have to tell them that we have enlisted the help of the Earth Kingdom and Water Tribes – and up until now, they have called these nations "enemy". It will be a great shock. I can only hope there will be no blatant revolts before Azula's arrival," he said, his eyes pleading with her to understand.

Katara looked beyond his tall figure to the thick crimson curtain behind him. The velvet fabric was emblazoned with a gold Fire Nation symbol, and it moved slightly in the warm afternoon breeze. Desperately, she searched for the right words to encourage him.

"This is a turning point for the Fire Nation. You need to present it as an opportunity for your people. Despite everything, I know you are a great leader and care for the people of your homeland. Tell them you will lead them in this new direction; tell them cooperation with the other nations instead of war will bring an era of peace and prosperity," she offered.

A resonating sound filled the room – the gong had been sounded. That was the Fire Lord's signal. On impulse, Katara ran to him and took him into her arms in a brief embrace. She felt him breathe in deeply, and she let go of him. Looking up at him, she saw a man who outwardly showed no uncertainty. He had replaced his worried expression with what she had come to think of as his "Fire Lord persona". She wondered at his ability to show no weakness, even when she knew he felt it inside.

He shoved the curtains aside and disappeared through the fabric. Katara heard the throngs of people outside. The entire city had been instructed to attend the Fire Lord's announcement. She and Toph had been told to listen to his speech from behind the curtain. She heard the earthbender's bare feet pounding down the stone floor of the hallway, and the girl skidded to a stop next to Katara.

"Has it started yet?" she asked.

"No, he just went out there," Katara informed her.

"Do you think he'll convince them?" the earthbender asked. Katara would never say it aloud, since she was certain the teenage girl would earthbend her underneath a mountain if she said as much, but she looked worried.

"I hope so," Katara breathed. Both women waited in anticipation.

The crowds outside finally quieted, and Zuko's authoritative voice filled the air.

"People of the Fire Nation! In the past few days, you may have been hearing some strange rumors floating around the city. I am speaking to you today to give you the truth. As loyal citizens, you deserve to know the truth. As all of you know, my traitorous sister, the Princess Azula, attempted to take my life only a few months ago. She slipped past our soldiers, and escaped to the Earth Kingdom," he reminded his people.

"During her brief stay in the Earth Kingdom, she was able to reunite with the elite earthbender military force known as the Dai Li, and with their help, she has recruited a sizeable army. As I speak to you, she is on her way to invade our city. She plans to kill _me_, the rightful Fire Lord, and take the throne for herself," he said with anger. Murmurs began to rumble through the masses.

He continued before the murmurs grew louder. "As you know, much of the Fire Nation military is spread out around the world waging war against the other nations. I have recalled every soldier and every ship to the homeland, but they will not arrive in time to defend our shores."

Shock reverberated through the throng of people.

"However, we have been presented with a unique opportunity. The Water Tribe and certain members of the Earth Kingdom have pledged their support to me – they do not wish to see Azula on the throne."

At this announcement, a low rumble passed through the crowd as the people expressed surprise and shock. A few angry shouts emanated from the crowd. Zuko plunged on before any riots broke out. He had strategically placed soldiers down among the people to dispel any fighting. Far below, he noticed some groups of soldiers surreptitiously make their way to the troublemakers, who were apprehended as quietly as possible.

"This is a turning point for the Fire Nation," he yelled fervently. "This world has been at war too long! It is time we moved toward peace with the other nations. With open trade between the nations, all of our people will prosper! No more of our sons and daughters will be sent to fight in far away lands!"

Katara's heart swelled with hope at hearing the Fire Lord's words. She had certainly never thought she would hear words like these in her lifetime. She tried to remain optimistic that the citizens of the Fire Nation would be open to the idea of ending the war. She knew it would be a difficult transition. Much of the Fire Nation's commerce was based on the war effort. There would surely be anger…beginning with peasants who earned livelihoods in weapon factories all the way up to nobles who had come to power by supporting the war. The people would have difficulty overcoming the Fire Nation's superiority complex as well. It was deeply ingrained after one hundred years of war.

"Moreover, they have pledged to risk the lives of their _own_ soldiers in order to protect this city. For that, you should owe them your gratitude. Without their support, our city would likely be defeated by Azula and her forces."

There was a great silence for a few moments, and was finally broken by another angry shout. Katara was surprised that was all she heard. Was the anger directed at Zuko or Azula? Were the people accepting this new arrangement? Or were they merely in shock? She and Toph still stood behind the curtain, so it was hard to gauge the reaction.

At that moment, she heard Zuko call for them.

_This wasn't part of the plan. He wants us to come out there? Those people will probably start shooting fire balls at us._

Despite their misgivings, the two women stepped out onto the balcony. Katara blinked as her eyes adjusted to the sudden light of the sunny day. The air was clear; not a cloud was in the sky. When she looked down over the crowd, she suddenly felt herself wishing she was as blind as Toph. There were _thousands_ of people below them.

She and Toph moved to stand on either side of him, and he inclined his head toward her.

"This is Katara, master waterbender of the Southern Water Tribe. Despite the war the Fire Nation brought to her people, she has pledged to protect the people of this city with her life, as have her people!"

A mixture of hesitant cheers and angry dissent rose up from the mass of people.

Ignoring them, Zuko turned to Toph.

"This is Toph Bei Fong, master earthbender and leader of the Earth Kingdom Resistance. She has also pledged her support to protecting this city!"

"Now, my fellow citizens, you have a choice before you. You can choose to succumb to old prejudices and watch this city fall because you will not work with a former enemy…or you can choose to work with them and _fight_ for our city! You can protect it from those who would take it from us!"

"I implore you now…those of you who are unable or unwilling to fight – you must evacuate the city. That is an order from your Fire Lord. Any who are willing and able to defend our city against these invaders, prepare yourselves for a great invading force."

"This is the right direction for the Fire Nation, and I will lead us into the future. On the contrary, a Fire Nation led by my sister will be driven into the ground. She will enslave the world – and that includes her own people."

"Now go, and prepare for whatever decision you have made. You are free to choose – fight for our city or flee to the hills. However, you must choose quickly. We expect the invading force by tomorrow afternoon."

With that, he turned and exited the balcony, quietly whispering for Toph and Katara to follow.

Once inside, the Fire Lord leaned back against the cool stone wall.

"_That_ was the hardest speech I have ever had to make," he said wearily.

"You did great, Sparky," Toph said, offering him a rare genuine smile.

Katara managed to hold back her tears as she echoed Toph's sentiments.

Zuko straightened and gave her a tired expression. "The populace seemed to accept the news better than I thought they would, but riots _will_ break out. War is the only thing my people have known for over one hundred years. Many of their livelihoods are based on the war. It will not be an easy transition to peace. Coming up with enough housing, food, and employment for the returning soldiers will be difficult, if not im-"

Katara cut him off. "You can think about that later. Hopefully the nations will be willing to help one another with trade and exchange programs. We will figure it out during the peace talks. But for now, we need to concentrate on defeating Azula. If she wins, then everything is lost. There will _be_ no transition to peace if you fall tomorrow," she reminded him gravely.

"She's got that right, Sparky. Let's just think about kicking Her Royal Craziness' butt tomorrow," Toph piped in.

An angry, determined look came over the Fire Lord's face. Katara suppressed a shudder as she recognized his dangerous expression. At least it was no longer directed at her.

"You're right. Tomorrow, I fight for my rightful place on the throne. Tomorrow, Azula will learn _why_ I deserve to rule the Fire Nation. We will prevail, _then_ we can figure out solutions for everything else."

As she watched him speak, Katara had one thought.

_Yes, Azula certainly is crazy to challenge him.

* * *

_

The next morning dawned bright and clear, but the red skies over the sea at sunrise promised of storms to come in the afternoon. Zuko stood on his balcony watching the sun peek over the horizon; he could practically feel the electricity in the air. His taut muscles were ready for action. Today, he would fight his sister for the throne of his nation. And she would fall.

His night had been restless. In addition to his nerves over the coming invasion, he had instructed messengers to bring him hourly updates of the position of Azula's fleet. At this point, the first warships were due to arrive by mid-afternoon.

After a brief meditation session, he dressed in full battle armor. The day was warm, and he started to sweat under the thick leather. Once the battle commenced, he was certain that being too hot would be his last concern.

He had his servants bring him a small breakfast, and after eating, he went in search of Katara. He found her in the main courtyard…in the middle of the turtleduck pond. She didn't seem to notice him enter the gardens, so he stopped short of approaching her and enjoyed the view.

She stood in the shallow pond, her eyes closed. Water droplets shimmered in her dark hair, reflecting in the early morning sunlight. Her arms gracefully guided her element as she moved from basic forms to more advanced forms. The clear liquid danced around her, and she deftly froze it into sharp points and flung them into a nearby tree. Zuko reflected that _he_ was her target at one point in time. He sometimes forgot that despite her gentle nature, she was a hardened warrior. A very powerful one.

He turned as he heard footsteps approach. He was surprised to see the elder Master Pakku. He had been expecting a soldier or messenger. The master waterbender looked at him with both suspicion and surprise.

The Fire Lord wasn't sure what to make of the waterbender's appearance, and stood awkwardly before the man. By this point, Katara had noticed the two men in the courtyard, but continued to practice her forms.

Finally the old man spoke. "She does make the art of waterbending beautiful, doesn't she?"

_Of all the things I expected him to say, that wasn't it._

Unsure of how to respond, he merely nodded his head.

"She was my most skilled student, and now she has surpassed even me in technique. After her arrival at the Northern Water Tribe, she looked so small and lost. She had just suffered the loss of her family and the extermination of her entire Tribe," he said pointedly.

Zuko closed his eyes and stared at the grass at his feet.

The gray-haired man continued. "For centuries, it was customary for the women benders to learn healing, while the men learned the art of war. In recent years, however, there were so few of us remaining that we were forced to change our traditions. When Katara was brought before me, I knew I wanted to teach her to protect herself. I didn't want her to be helpless any longer."

Zuko watched as the man looked at Katara, who was still manipulating the water around her. There was love and regret in his eyes.

"I loved her as my own granddaughter. That's why it hurt so much when I thought she had betrayed our people. I thought she had taken everything I had given her and taught her and used it against us. I couldn't understand why she loved _you,_ our worst enemy."

"One thing about Katara – she looks for the good in everyone. Even those she hates. Even those who have wronged her in every way. It seems she has done so with you, and as a result, she may have found peace for the world."

He turned to the Fire Lord and stared him in the eye. "I saw the way you looked at her just now. You truly love her, don't you?"

Zuko glanced over at the waterbender who was emerging from the pond, having finished her practice. He turned back to the elder waterbender and looked him straight in the eye.

"I do. More than anything," he answered honestly.

Master Pakku nodded sadly. "And she loves you – I can see it in her eyes." He sighed. "Take care of her, young Fire Lord. You don't deserve her."

With that, he turned and retreated out of the courtyard, leaving a confused Zuko in his wake.

* * *

Later in the afternoon, all of the battle divisions moved into their respective positions, and awaited the imminent arrival of the princess' invasion force. Katara stood on the deck of a ship, disguised in a firebender uniform. All of the Water Tribe and Earth Kingdom soldiers were wearing the clothing of Fire Nation soldiers to increase the element of surprise. Azula would not be expecting waterbending and earthbending from enemy forces today.

Zuko stood calmly next to her. Earlier in the day, she had noticed Master Pakku approach the Fire Lord in the courtyard while she practiced her bending. By the time she had finished, her old master had left the garden, and Zuko had a strange look on his face.

Curious, she had walked up to Zuko and asked him what Pakku had said.

"We were just speaking of the battle plan for today," he had responded. Katara hadn't quite believed him, but all rational thought had fled her mind when Zuko leaned down to kiss her. Of course, Toph had chosen that _most_ inopportune moment to make her grand entrance into the courtyard.

"Finally! It's about time you guys did some lip-locking. Your pent-up emotions have been driving me _crazy_! I can't take all the pounding heartbeats!"

Katara's cheeks had flamed at the earthbender's observations, but Zuko had just rolled his eyes and leaned down to continue kissing her.

Toph had then proclaimed that they didn't need to _overdo_ it, and announced she was going to find some more food because she was about to lose her breakfast.

Now, as she stood on the deck of the metal warship, she longed for the battle to be over. Their ship would be the first in line to approach Azula's flagship as it passed through the Gates of Azulon. They hoped they would be able to take the Princess before she ever reached the shore of the Fire Nation capital.

Suddenly, the pounding of gongs and the steady thrum of drums filled the air. Azula's fleet had been sighted. The battle was about to begin.


	11. Showdown

**Disclaimer**: _Avatar: The Last Airbender_ is the creation of Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko, and is owned by Nickelodeon.

* * *

**Author's note: **Wow, I can't believe it! This is the last real chapter before the epilogue! We're winding down here, folks.

Once again, thank you SO much to my awesome reviewers: **temariXshikamaruluva****, ****hg-always****, ****XxSparklesxxBrightlyxX****, ****secretsofadarkangel****, ****AnnaAza****, ****Animus of Masada****, ****meggie-moo s****, ****Katey123****, ****TigerStorm**** , ****a5h13y 101**** , ****Thegoldenlock**** , **and **InItToWinIT** . All of your reviews make me do a happy dance. Really.

Okay, enough blabbing. Here we go…

* * *

**Chapter 10: Collision

* * *

**

"_The opportunity to secure ourselves against defeat lies in our own hands, but the opportunity of defeating the enemy is provided by the enemy himself.__"_

-Sun Tzu (Chinese General and Author, b.500 BC)

* * *

Frantic last-minute preparations were made as the war drums continued their pounding. Catapults were readied. Warriors checked their weapons. Benders got into their battle stances. A messenger hawk landed on Zuko's armored forearm. The bird carried a hastily scrawled communication stating that Azula's fleet had just successfully run the blockade.

Even as he read the memo, the first explosive sounds of battle hit his ears. He sent the signal to commence the battle plan. The imposing Gates of Azulon stood empty, the gaping maws of the twin dragons inviting Azula's flagship into the harbor. The current inhabitants of the harbor quietly awaited the arrival of the enemy ship, ready to pounce as soon as the ship passed the gates.

Finally, an impressive Earth Kingdom warship proudly sailed through the gates. The bow of the great wooden vessel was decorated with the head of a fierce sea serpent, which almost seemed to mock the great stone dragons. As soon as the ship passed through, flame burst forth from the dragons' open mouths, and a great burning gate was raised. The warship immediately behind the flagship was unable to halt its forward momentum and hit the gate; the wooden planks forming the hull exploded into flame.

The uncertain silence was broken as chaos erupted in the harbor with the arrival of the flagship. The waterbenders commenced their attack on the large ship, dousing the vessel with huge waves. Several waterbenders skated over on bridges of ice and entered into battle with Azula's soldiers as fierce warrior cries emitted from their throats. The enemy soldiers were out of their element – literally – and were forced to rely on conventional weapons. Another wave of enemy soldiers ran up on deck, and to the defending forces' dismay, began firebending. Azula had managed to recruit some firebenders loyal to her.

A vicious maritime battle was raging outside the gates between the fire siblings' warships. The great Gates of Azulon were beginning to fail under the assault of catapult weapons, and the sheer number of enemy vessels was starting to overtake Zuko's navy. More of his ships were making haste across the ocean to reach the battle, but it remained to be seen if they would arrive in time to assist.

Zuko traveled to Azula's flagship on a bridge of ice constructed by Katara. Doubt was starting to edge into his mind. His sister should have made her appearance by now. Something wasn't right. Had she sent this ship in as a decoy? Was she inside the capital even now?

He landed on the wooden deck of the ship, and sent flame at a pair of rapidly advancing enemy soldiers with a spinning kick. Next to him, Katara whipped a tendril of water up from the sea and dragged another man overboard. Firebender and waterbender stood back to back as each expertly wielded their respective element against the advancing enemy. A ship this large held dozens of enemy soldiers, and Agni knew where Azula was.

He and Katara fought together as one, water and fire occasionally mixing as they picked off the enemy. They stood back to back as they flung their elements at the advancing enemy soldiers. A contingent of Water Tribe warriors fought on the deck of the ship as well, and Zuko was pleased that for once, the fierce warriors were fighting on _his_ side. Each Water Tribe warrior was a formidable opponent.

He saw Katara wash a wave over the deck of the boat to knock a group of Azula's soldiers off balance. As they stood in a puddle of water, the Fire Lord moved his hands in a circular motion, sparks trailing from his fingers. He shot a bolt of lightning toward the puddle, and effectively took the group of soldiers out of the fight. Most lay unmoving on the wooden deck; the occasional groan emitted from the men's throats.

He felt Katara move next to him, and she threw a procession of ice daggers at some warriors who had gotten dangerously close to Zuko. They continued to work together to fight off the enemy. After what seemed to be an eternity, the steady flow of soldiers from the bowels of the ship seemed to slow.

_Still no Azula._

Katara verbally echoed his sentiments.

"Where is she?" she asked worriedly as she slashed out a vicious water whip at a straggling soldier. The man crashed to the ground, his legs bent at odd angles.

"We need to search the ship," Zuko answered. "I think we've taken out most of the soldiers."

He quickly glanced up to see how the rest of the battle was progressing. He winced. Not very well. The gates had been breached, and enemy vessels leaked through the opening. His own fleet was still putting up a valiant effort, but he saw many of his metal ships sitting unnaturally low in the water. Some of them were nearly completely submerged.

The Water Tribe warriors had stayed true to their word, and were fiercely fighting back the enemy. Boomerangs, spears, and water whips were being thrown about. He was pleased with their ferocity. There was no way his own divided fleet could have held off the enemy for so long without the Water Tribe's assistance.

"Come on, let's search the ship," he said, motioning to Katara. She coated her arms in water, and they went below deck. They carefully explored the ship; there were still some enemy soldiers hiding in wait. The waterbender was nearly decapitated by a sword that flew at her from around a turn in the hallway. Her reflexes and a precise flash of flame from her companion saved her.

After searching the entire ship, they reluctantly concluded that Azula was not on board.

"She was never on this ship, Zuko. She must have gotten into the city another way," Katara observed as they ran up to the deck once more.

"I know," he said breathlessly as they ran full speed through the winding hallways. "We need to get to the palace…" he trailed off when they reached the open air once more.

Some of Azula's ships had breached the outer defense and were spewing soldiers onto shore. Luckily, Toph's soldiers were ready for them. Boulders and flame started flying as the battle for the city began. The Water Tribe warriors were still making a heroic effort at holding back additional enemy forces.

"Let's go," Katara said determinedly. "We should find Toph and have her join the hunt for Azula. If anyone can find her, Toph can. She'll relish the chance to get back at Princess Crazy," she said with a slightly desperate laugh.

"Can you get us to shore?" Zuko asked, and regretted his question as Katara shot him a withering glance.

"Master waterbender, remember?" she said, tapping the side of her head for emphasis.

She jumped off the side of the ship, and trusting her, the Fire Lord followed. A column of water shot up to catch their fall, and an ice platform solidified beneath their feet. Katara gracefully waved her arms, and the makeshift raft sped toward shore on a wave of the waterbender's creation.

Once on solid land, they made their way through the fighting, stopping occasionally to fight off enemy soldiers. They looked around to where the most violent earthbending was happening. They wordlessly agreed that was where they would find Toph.

Sure enough, they found the blind earthbender in the thick of it. The girl calmly made adjustments to her stance as she waited and listened for the positions of her opponents. The display was impressive. The girl barely moved as her adversaries ran furiously toward her. Their efforts were generally rewarded by meeting stone face to face. Great holes opened up and swallowed soldiers; groups of enemy earthbenders were launched into the sky on great pillars of rock as Toph beat them at their own game.

"Toph!" Katara yelled.

"Kinda busy here, Sweetness!" Toph responded as she shoved her hand forward to dispatch an earthbender before he could move.

"We need you!" she shouted. "Azula wasn't in the invading fleet. We think she snuck her way into the city to get into the palace!"

"Well, why didn't you say so earlier?" she responded as she stomped her foot and opened up another hole in the ground.

Toph's supporting soldiers took over the defense as the dark-haired girl ran over to them.

Zuko spoke, relaying their plan. "I need you to take some of your earthbenders and secure the perimeter of the palace. If she gets in…" he trailed off.

The earthbender's eyes narrowed. "Don't worry, Sparky. We'll find Princess Crazy. We can still win this thing."

In that moment, the battle grew in intensity as a flurry of burning projectiles flew at the enemy warships. Zuko nearly fell over in relief. More of his navy had arrived. They would hold Azula's forces at bay.

Now they just had to find his sister.

* * *

It took the small group of benders hours to reach the palace itself. Zuko had positioned foot soldiers and archers around the perimeter of the city, but the walls were no match for Azula's earthbenders. The Fire Nation soldiers had battled for the city all afternoon, and they had been forced to fight their way through several skirmishes. Zuko's presence didn't exactly make it easy. As soon as the enemy soldiers realized the Fire Lord was in their midst, they doubled their efforts to kill.

By the time they reached the palace walls, each bender had a new assortment of battle wounds. Exhaustion was starting to set in, even through the adrenaline. Thunder rolled in the distance. The weather was about to turn.

It was nearly nightfall – a strange purple twilight had settled over the land. There was still no sign of Azula. The group split up – Katara and Zuko had set off for the courtyard of the palace to search for the princess there, and Toph and her team patrolled the walls surrounding the gardens. Zuko's forces combed the palace itself for the princess.

She risked a glance at Zuko. He looked uneasy.

"It's quiet," she whispered.

"_Too _quiet," he replied.

In that moment, a pillar of stone shot up from the ground, knocking Katara several feet into the air and effectively separating her from the Fire Lord. Her body landed with a soft _thud_, and the breath was knocked out of her. Even so, her warrior instincts kicked in, and she was quickly back on her feet. She had just reached to uncork her water skins when another pillar of stone shot up and encased her body.

She saw Zuko jumping back to his feet in the distance, and then noticed that several Dai Li agents stood to her left. One of them was still in a bending stance; he was the one responsible for her stone prison.

The Fire Lord's low voice filled the air, his eyes flashing dangerously.

"_Let her go,_" he demanded as his fists filled with fire. The flames were so hot they were nearly white; Zuko's features were eerily lit by his flame. He let loose a massive wall of fire, and the earthbenders to her left were immediately turned to ash. Katara flinched even as the stone around her crumbled. The man controlling the element had been sent to the Spirit world with his comrades.

Katara watched in horror as Azula seemed to melt out of nowhere to attack Zuko from behind. She started to shout a warning, but was too late. The world seemed to slow as Azula wrapped her arm around Zuko from behind and held a deadly-looking dagger to his neck.

_No…_

Not now. She couldn't lose him now. She couldn't live without him.

Azula's maniacal laughter filled the air.

"So, Zuzu, it seems you have fallen for the water peasant! You never would have let your guard down so much in the past. This was almost pathetically easy," she mocked, holding her brother in a deadly embrace.

Another peal of thunder boomed overhead. The strong seabreeze was pushing the storm in off of the ocean. Lightning crackled through the sky. The air was thick with the promise of rain, but the clouds had yet to burst.

"Let him go, you witch!" Katara yelled helplessly.

Another sickening laugh accompanied a boom of thunder.

"And the water peasant has fallen for the Fire Lord! Is that why your people wouldn't take you back?" she questioned.

Katara felt fury rise in her at the princess' ridicule.

_Don't take her bait. She wants you to lose your head._

"I will spare him, peasant, if you let me escape with him. I want you to call off your pitiable little Water Tribe friends. If Zuzu wants to live, and wants _you_ to escape harm, he will call off his troops and surrender the city to me," she said casually.

Katara locked eyes with the Fire Lord. His eyes pleaded with her to escape.

She glared back at him.

_I won't leave you here._

She watched as the Fire Princess held the knife closer to Zuko's skin.

A liquid rivulet of crimson blood trickled its way down the Fire Lord's pale neck.

_Liquid._

A terrible, wild idea filled her mind in that moment. Blood contained water.

_I should be able to bend blood. Is it possible to do it while it courses through the human body?_

She glanced briefly up at the sky. The moon was struggling to make itself known through the violent storm clouds. The _full_ moon. Katara was at her full strength as a bender. If she had any chance of performing this feat, now was the time.

_Tui and La, if this doesn't work…if I make one mistake…he will die._

The master waterbender closed her eyes. _Breathe in. Breathe out. _Then – she felt the water around her. She felt the water in the small pond some distance behind her. She felt the small, invisible droplets that were responsible for the humidity in the air. She felt the raindrops in the clouds that were rolling in off of the sea. Lightning coursed through the tops of the clouds. Fire and water…mixing.

And there…she could feel the water in her own body. She could feel the water in the bodies around her. She isolated the feel of Azula's blood. She could feel the pulse of it through the firebender's veins. Before Azula could react, she took a bending stance and _grabbed._

The peculiar sensation of controlling the blood of another living being filled her. It was uncomfortable. Azula's eyes widened in horror as she realized she had no control over her body. Zuko looked confused as his sister released her hold on him; the knife was thrown into the soft grass. He watched his sister's jerky movements as she was forced to her knees. It looked as if the girl was being controlled by some mad puppeteer.

"Restrain her. NOW! I can't hold much longer!"

* * *

Zuko dove for his sister, but she broke the waterbender's hold just as he reached her. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Katara fall to her knees, exhausted from the effort of doing…whatever it was she had just done. Turning his attention to her, he saw her collapse completely on the soft grass. The storm was beginning to unleash its full fury above them. Wind whipped around them, and leaves and dirt collided with Zuko's skin.

He watched in horror as he realized Azula was about to release a full-fledged attack on the motionless waterbender. She was already moving into her stance; he could sense the heat that was building up around her. He had to take her out, but he wouldn't reach her in time.

He felt electricity in the air; the atmosphere was building up a charge, and was about to release it right into the courtyard. Without thinking, he channeled the lightning through his body as it raced from the clouds to the earth, and he redirected the blinding flash toward his sister. The lightning enveloped the young woman, cutting her attack short. She fell to the ground, writhing as the electricity coursed through her body. Thunder filled the air, and Zuko's ears rang. The remaining tendrils of static faded, and Azula lay unmoving on the ground. Her boot had been blown off, and a telltale exit wound decorated the sole of her foot.

Cautiously, he approached her and put his finger to her neck. The pulse of life was absent. She was dead. Unexpected sorrow ran through him. His little sister was dead, and he was responsible.

He heard Katara groan, and he raced to her side. He knelt beside her and gathered her into his arms. The skies opened up at that moment, and rain began to pour down on them both.

Her eyes fluttered open.

"Zuko? What-" she started to ask in confusion. Rivulets of rainwater poured down her face.

"It's over. She's dead," he said flatly.

"I'm sorry," she whispered.

He ignored her last statement. He couldn't bear to dwell on it at the moment.

"Are you alright?" he asked her, running his hands up and down her arms, as if to assure himself that she was still there. "What did…what happened?"

"I'm fine. I've just never experienced bending like that. Zuko I – I bent her blood. I couldn't let her…" she trailed off as she buried her head under his chin. "I never want to control another person like that again," she said with anguish.

He held her close. "You never have to," he whispered into her hair.

She must have felt the blood still oozing from the wound on his neck. She pulled away from him.

"You're bleeding!" she accused. She summoned some rainwater to her hand and pressed it to his neck. He was aware of a luminous blue glow, and he felt the peculiar sensation of the wound closing. He gave her a small smile.

"Thank you," he said. The rain had turned into a deluge, and his words were nearly lost in the roar of the falling water.

He looked at the waterbender. It seemed as if a lifetime had passed since he had first met her. They had been fierce enemies. He had tortured her…he had been within a hair's breadth of killing her. Now, he knew he couldn't live without her. She had irrevocably changed him in so many ways. A few months ago, he would have executed anyone who suggested that he would soon be in peace talks with the other nations.

Another bolt of lightning flashed above them, but the storm was decreasing in intensity. They both looked like drowned animals. Their hair and clothes were plastered against their skin, but the rain had washed away most of the dirt and blood of battle. It seemed to signify a new beginning.

"Katara?" he said hesitantly. She looked at him, inviting him to continue.

He plunged on. "Will you stay with me? Will you…" he hesitated a moment, "will you be my wife?"

She blinked at him in surprise, and didn't answer for a moment.

The Fire Lord felt the ground drop from beneath his feet at her hesitancy.

"I understand if you don't-" he stopped when she put a finger to his lips.

"Yes. I will. But…what about your people? Won't they object?" she asked worriedly.

"My people will abide by my wishes. They will not defy me," he said darkly. "Besides, a marital union between the Fire Nation and Water Tribe will go a long way in helping the peace negotiations," he said as a small smile curled his lips.

Katara smiled back. "As long as Master Pakku doesn't try to kill you first," she retorted.

"So you will marry me?" Zuko asked incredulously. "After all I've done to you? All I've done to your people?"

"I will," she answered with certainty. "You've come a long way from the man who took me prisoner that night. You've changed. I'm not quite sure how it happened," she whispered.

"You were the one who changed me, waterbender," he said. With that, he pulled her into a deep kiss. They explored one another's lips, each giving, each receiving. The cool rainwater mingled with their kiss, and Zuko lightly flicked his tongue across her cheek, taking in the trails of rain and tears that poured down her face. The light rain continued to pour down around them, but the moon slipped through the clouds, illuminating their features. They quietly held one another in the moonlight, and ignored the lingering sounds of battle outside the walls.

* * *

As it turned out, most of Zuko's navy had arrived back at the capital by late evening. Azula's warships were finally outnumbered, and the combined efforts of the Water Tribe and Fire Nation finally defeated the enemy fleet.

Toph and her soldiers had arrived in the courtyard to find Katara and Zuko kissing under the moonlight, with Azula lying dead a few yards away.

"Only you two could find a romantic moment with a dead body lying nearby," she said as the young couple jerked apart.

Zuko had glowered at the earthbender, and gave up when he remembered she couldn't see his expression. He was certain the girl could sense his displeasure.

Toph had explained that she had found a contingent of Azula's soldiers trying to take over the palace, and had fought them off. "Sorry about your throne room, Sparky. It didn't fare so well," she said apologetically.

Dawn had broken as the last of the battle finished. The last of Azula's soldiers finally surrendered to the Fire Nation, and they had been rounded up and taken prisoner. Any who had been in a position of leadership would be tried for war crimes, and the lesser soldiers would be distributed to various Fire Nation prisons.

The victorious side had emerged from the night bruised and exhausted, but a great cheer filled the air as they learned that Azula's forces had been subdued.

That afternoon, Zuko once more prepared himself to give a speech – but this speech would be given to not only Fire Nation citizens, but Water Tribe and Earth Kingdom ones as well.

He stood once more on the balcony as the gongs sounded their victory. Katara, Toph, and several other high-ranking members of all the nations stood next to him.

He took a deep breath as he looked at the crowd gathered below him. He saw the masses wearing the customary red of the Fire Nation, but it was strange to see groups of blue and green scattered about. His soil hadn't seen this many foreigners in over one hundred years. He looked over at Katara, who gave him a nod of encouragement. It was time for change. It was time to start anew.

"People of the Fire Nation! Citizens of the world! We have fought together. We have bled together. Today marks the beginning of a new era – an era of peace! Through adversity, we have seen that we can come together to fight for a common cause. We have seen that, in the end, we are not so different. As the leader of this great nation, I am truly humbled to see all those who have fought for peace – and to see all those who believe in my new vision for the future."

He stopped as he waited for the crowd's reaction. Worry fled from his mind as applause rose up. It was quiet at first, but quickly grew in volume. He smiled as whoops and cheers filled the air.

"Peace will not be easy. There are still those who will believe in war. They will continue to fight peace and wage battle against those who would keep the peace. There will be disagreements. The Fire Nation is about to enter into peace talks with the Water Tribe and Earth Kingdom. I do not anticipate that they will go smoothly," he said honestly. "One hundred years of war has left deep wounds on all involved. I regret that the Fire Nation was the aggressor. We have many wrongs to make right. I am willing to work through the difficulty to achieve peace. I hope the rest of you are willing as well," he finished.

Shouts of affirmation rose up from the crowd, and Zuko was smiling as he left the balcony. He caught Katara's adoring gaze. It would be a new beginning indeed.

* * *

A few weeks later, Katara stood next to Zuko as they prepared to make their announcement. Katara looked out over the sea of faces in the room, and her gaze lingered on the figures in blue. Master Pakku gave her an encouraging smile.

She had talked at length with him in the weeks following the battle, and they had made their amends. He deeply regretted losing faith in her, and had been incredibly happy when she informed him of her forgiveness. Today, he was the only person in the room beside Zuko who knew what was about to take place. He had given his blessing to the union, but threatened to bend the Fire Lord to the bottom of the ocean if he ever again harmed a hair on Katara's head. Zuko had nervously promised that he would never hurt Katara again, and anyone who tried wouldn't live to regret it. Pakku had gruffly nodded in approval.

Katara's stomach did a flip as Zuko began to speak.

"As you are all aware, the peace talks are progressing, and peace is becoming more than a dream. I have a proposal for the Water Tribe – one that will solidify the peace agreement between our people."

The Water Tribe's Ruling Council, which now included Bato, looked at him, suspicion lining their faces.

"I wish to marry Katara of the Southern Water Tribe."

Bato was the first to speak.

"Katara, do you…wish to marry the Fire Lord?" he asked wearily. Things between them were still tense. Katara had hoped that he would be as understanding as Pakku. They had begun to smooth things out, but they had a long way to go.

"Yes, I do."

Murmurs filled the room as the various groups discussed the ramifications of the union. In the end, it was collectively voted that the three remaining nations would support the marital union of the Fire Lord and Katara of the Southern Water Tribe.

Zuko had already presented the idea to his own council. The group of military commanders, merchants, Fire Sages, and noblemen had vociferously objected at first, but some threats from the Fire Lord had quickly quieted them. Katara had told him she was glad they finally agreed, but informed him she didn't even want to know what he had threatened them with. She suspected that copious amounts of fire had been involved.

"_I can't let them walk all over me now. I still need to maintain control. Besides, I wasn't _actually_ going to carry out my threats…"_

"_Fine. But I like you better when you're not homicidal," she had replied with a shudder.  
_

"_They agreed to bless our union, didn't they?"_

With that, Katara had thrown her arms in the air and admitted defeat.

When the vote from the other nations was announced, Zuko pulled his waterbender in his arms and kissed her in full view of the representatives from all three nations. It soon became evident to all that this was not merely a political union. Sparse applause erupted from the gathering, becoming more thunderous as the moments passed.

* * *

Several months later, Fire Lord Zuko and his betrothed sat in the midst of a great celebration. The peace talks had concluded, and although the world had a long road ahead, the foundation of peace was laid.

Katara sat ensconced in Zuko's arms as they watched fireworks fill the sky. Her blue eyes had filled with wonder as the sparkling display lit up the sky. She had never seen the phenomenon of fireworks, and she immediately decided the booming novelty was one of her favorite things about the Fire Nation. She had only just begun to discover the beauty of Zuko's homeland. Before, she had always seen it as the enemy land – nothing beautiful could possibly come from it.

Now, she found beauty in the place she would learn to call home. She loved the fierce summertime storms that would blow in off the sea in the afternoon. She loved the delicate cherry blossoms that adorned trees lining the city's walkways. She even began to appreciate the stark beauty of the shell of the once-active volcano the great city now resided in. Zuko had clearly enjoyed bringing her on a tour of some of the nearby provinces. There were rural towns that dotted great golden fields of grain. Her particular favorite was a fishing village that was built on a series of docks over a lake.

Soon, she and Zuko would undertake a brief tour of the world. There were plans being drawn up to repopulate the South Pole. One evening, as they sat together in front of a crackling fire, Zuko had quietly informed her that he wished to see her homeland. She had faltered at first; as much as she missed her home, she was hesitant about visiting the place of her greatest tragedy. Finally, she had smiled at him as he sat next to her, gently rubbing his callused thumb over her hand, and she had informed him that she would only take him if he would go penguin sledding with her. His lips had cracked into a smile, and he agreed to try "the barbaric sport".

For now, they enjoyed the moment. Celebrants from all the nations milled around them, and for now, the world seemed at peace. Everyone was aware that there were factions from both sides would continue war-mongering; threatening notes and isolated skirmishes had already surfaced, but the world's leaders were now committed to upholding the peace. As the firebender and waterbender shared a kiss under the moonlight and the sparkling fireworks, they knew that peace would prevail.

* * *

**Author's note: **Wow, this has been quite a ride! I hope you all have enjoyed it as much as I have! We only have the epilogue left! And yes folks, I've started working on another story...it'll be a little while, but keep your eyes open!

Also, I wanted to give a shout out to a loyal reader, **temariXshikamaruluva, **who is in the process of writing an awesome Zutara fic with a very creative storyline that I am loving – you all should go check it out! It can be found here:

.net/s/5553359/1/Fine_Print


	12. Arduous Peace

**Disclaimer**: _Avatar: The Last Airbender_ is the creation of Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko, and is owned by Nickelodeon.

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**Author's note: **I can't believe we're at the epilogue! I've had a blast writing this, and I'm glad that you all have enjoyed it!

A gigantic thank you and lots of virtual hugs go out to all my reviewers, especially those who have been there since the beginning! **hg-always, **I certainly enjoyed your weekly messages reminding me it's Friday. **InItToWinIT, **I love your always thoughtful reviews! **temariXshikamaruluva**, it's been fun simultaneously writing Zutara deliciousness! Much love! :-) **Katey123 **and** AnnaAza****, **thanks for all your encouraging reviews! Anyone who I didn't mention, you're awesome too!

Thank you to last week's reviewers: **hg-always****, ****AnnaAza****, ****badonyx**** , ****TigerStorm****, ****XxSparklesxxBrightlyxX****, ****TashaLyn13****, ****temariXshikamaruluva****, ****meggie-moo s****, ****InItToWinIT****, ****secretsofadarkangel****, ****Thegoldenlock****, ****Katey123****, ****a5h13y 101****, **and** darkpassion89**. **Lightdark-raveness**, you win the prize for the umm…weirdest review?

Okay, now I'll shut up and get on with it!

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**Epilogue: Arduous Peace

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**

_Peace is not only better than war, but infinitely more arduous._  
-George Bernard Shaw

* * *

Fire Lord Zuko went down in history as one of the most successful rulers of the Fire Nation. He was known as the man who brought peace to the world after more than one hundred years of war. Of course, the scrolls that would be passed down through time bent the truth a little. History tended to do that – stories were passed down through time, and became slightly warped as the generations passed.

The history scrolls tended to ignore the difficult first few years of keeping the peace, and skipped to the glorious peace that came much further along in time. As expected, the Water Tribe and Earth Kingdom demanded war reparations, which were fully deserved. Fire Lord Zuko still put his own people first, however, and refused to give the other nations _everything_ they wanted, which essentially would have bankrupted the Fire Nation.

The Fire Lord negotiated with the other nations, and eventually came to a satisfactory compromise after several months. This was merely the beginning. Throughout the years, various uprisings occurred. Not everyone was prepared for the war to end. Various groups of every nationality stirred up trouble every now and then. There were Fire Nation groups who thought that Zuko was weak for ending the war, and rallied for its continuation. Water Tribe and Earth Kingdom groups could not let go of the wrongs that had been committed against them by the Fire Nation, and attacked outlying towns. These uprisings were dealt with as peacefully as possible, but sometimes bloodshed was necessary.

Perhaps the largest step toward peace was the marriage of Fire Lord Zuko to Katara of the Southern Water Tribe soon after the initial peace talks. The nuptials caused a stir among both nations, and there were protests, but this did not deter the young couple. They were finally bound in marriage with the full blessing of both the Fire Council and the Ruling Council of the Water Tribe. The event was grand indeed. People of all nations were invited to witness the celebration. For the first time in recorded history, the Fire Nation had a waterbender as its Fire Lady.

Of course, not everyone was pleased with the arrangement, and over the years, there were various unsuccessful assassination attempts on both the Fire Lord and Lady. These were the only times that the world saw Fire Lord Zuko's truly frightening side return. He personally tracked down the responsible parties with success. The assassination attempts eventually stopped after the world witnessed the examples the Fire Lord made of the guilty factions.

As the years passed, the world adjusted to the idea of a peaceful coexistence. The Fire Lord and Lady were overjoyed with the birth of their first child. The boy, Sokka-named for the Fire Lady's deceased brother-grew into a handsome child with jet black hair and eyes as blue as the sky. The child began exhibiting firebending abilities at the age of three. His sister, Kysa, was born a few years later. It was said that tears came to the Fire Lady's eyes when the young girl pushed and pulled water for the first time. The couple had one more child, Mizuki, a girl who was the spitting image of her father. She inherited her father's bending skills.

Eight years after the formal peace documents were signed, a young girl from the newly-repopulated South Pole made a startling discovery. A young boy – an _airbender_ – was found encased in an iceberg. The twelve year-old boy was the missing Avatar. The world celebrated his reappearance. He was already proficient at airbending, but he needed to learn to master all the elements to become a fully-realized Avatar. He spent time in the Fire Nation palace with the Fire Lady, who was one of the world's most respected waterbending masters.

After his time in the Fire Nation, where he had ironically learned waterbending, he traveled to the city of Gaoling in the Earth Kingdom. There, he studied earthbending under the guidance of Toph Bei Fong, the greatest earthbender in the world (a fact she never let anyone forget).

The Fire Nation palace welcomed the Avatar back once more to learn the final element – fire. The young man was taught by none other than the Fire Lord himself. The world rejoiced to once more have a fully-realized Avatar, for he was still needed to keep the fragile peace.

As the years passed, the world began to forget the Hundred Year War – not that it had happened, but the prejudices and fighting that came with it. Even the glaring absence of the Air Nomads had started to heal with the discovery of a young boy who could bend air in a southern province of the Earth Kingdom. The world rejoiced at the prospect of another airbender. Soon, more and more reports of airbending children started to surface. It seemed the world was restoring itself to balance, and the peace that started with a firebender and a waterbender prevailed.

_Fin

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_

**One more note: **There you have it, peeps. I sincerely hope you have enjoyed the entire ride as much as I have. A few notes about upcoming stories…

I wrote a oneshot that takes place in this universe a few years down the line. A little something about visiting the South Pole. I'll probably post in a couple of weeks.

As for my next fic, I've got a couple chapters written. It's a post-war (canon) mystery/drama/Zutara epic…at least that's what it is in my head. Question for you all: Do you want me to post as I write (and possibly never see the end, which I hate), or not post until it's finished (which could be a while) and have regular updates like this one? Let me know if you're interested, and if so, which you would prefer!


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